Bloodthirsty Friendship
by NightAngel2
Summary: Please look inside for detailed summary Pairings: NaruHina, SauSaku, NejiTen, ShikaIno, ChouTema. It's better then it looks Finally UPDATED
1. A long trip

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Hello there! I'm new at writting Naruto fics, and I hope I'm able to keep everyone in character, although that might be a little hard. Enjoy the ride!

Summary: The new Chuunin selection exam is comming up, but before that Naruto wants to help Gaara at changing his habits, and getting him some friends, and hopefully, help him develop the bounds he has with his family and the whole village. But what can Naruto do to help him? Since he is also an oucast at his own village.

Pairing: No Shonen-ai (sorry). Shikimaru+Ino, Sasuke+Sakura, Naruto+Hinata, Chouji+ ... (not telling!), Neiji+TenTen, and lots of friendship.

Genre: Comedy, General.

Rate: PG-13 (for some cursing)

Spoilers: Mmm... Yeah I guess it has. If you haven't seen through Tsunade's saga, STOP or you might not get some stuffs. But, it doesn't really have that many spoilers, I think!

Disclaimer: I don't anything related to Naruto. Although I'd sure like that.

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 1: "A long trip ..."

"Iruka–sensei!" – an hyperactive teen with spicky hair and blue eyes called out to his former teacher, entering the now empty classroom.

"Hello there Naruto-kun. You seem pretty happy." – the teacher smiled at the boy, who by now had a foxy grin in his face.

"Ne, Iruka-sensei, trade me to some ramen and I'll tell you the big news." – Naruto asked cutely.

Iruka laughed. – "I already know about the new chuunin selection exam." – the teen lost his smile, and then yelled with all his might.

"How the hell is that possible?" – Iruka had to block his ears before they exploded from the loud scream.

"I'm a teacher and we are supposed to know that kind of things." – he said kindly.

"Damn! I just lost my opurtunity to eat ramen for free." – Iruka laughed.

"Tell you what. You help me clean the classroom and then we'll go to the ramen stand. How's that?"

"Hurray! Let's clean this shitty classroom and then eat ramen." – the teen started jumping around with happiness.

"Mind your language Naruto." – the teacher warned, although he was not one little bit disturbed. He liked seeing the boy happy.

****************************************************

Half an hour late, at the ramen stand:

"Oji-san (don't know if that's how you writte it). Where's my ramen?" – Naruto asked for the fourth time in the last two minutes.

"Calm down will 'ya. We asked for it three minutes ago. It takes time to be prepared." – Iruka stated.

"Mou ... I'm hungry." – the boy pounted.

"So? When are you guys leaving for the sand country?"

"Damn. You also know that this time it's going to be in the Hidden Sand Village?" – Naruto asked furious. And there he was, thinking he had news for his former teacher, when it seemed that his teacher knew even more than him.

"Of course. Each time the examn takes place at different hidden villages. This time it's Hidden Sand, and six months from now it will be in Hidden Mist." – Iruka said with a smile, seeing the annoyance in his companion.

"Mou, I don't care where it will be next. I'll definitly come back a chuunin." – the boy said with a grin.

"I'm sure you will" – Iruka reassured.

"Here 'ya go.Two bowls of ramen." – the owner of the stand placed two bowls down in front of his two famished clients.

"Arigatou Oji-san." – the old men smiled and disappeared into the kitchen, to prepare more ramen for the hungry teen.

"So? When are you leaving?" – the teacher asked once again.

"Mmmm...." – Naruto swallowed his ramen quickly and then answered. – "In three days. We're going in four groups of four genin teams each. Hokage's rules." – Iruka watched amused as Naruto scowled. – "That old hag Tsunade."

"NARUTO!" – Iruka yelled perplexed.

"What? She is an old hag, although she seems to be in her early thirties." – he said matter-of-factly.

"Even though. She is the new Hokage and thus deserves respect." – Iruka yelled.

"Whatever. She still is an old hag."

*WHACK* - before he knew it, Iruka had whacked him across the head.

"Au! That hurts sensei." – the boy whined.

"Suits you well." – he scowled.

"Mou ..." – Iruka smiled despite himself. He could never get mad at the teen.

"Naruto." – he called out, getting the attencion of the blonde boy. – "Good luck!" – they smiled at each other and hapilly ate a few more cups of ramen.

****************************************************

Three days after, at 7 a.m.:

"He is already an hour late!" – Kurenai said exhasperetly.

"Figures." – Azuma said, smocking yet another cigaratte.

Four teams of genins, waited *impantiantly* for the arrival of one single sensei, who had the bad habit of always being late.

"Is he always like this?" – Ino asked her friend and rival, Sakura.

"You can't even imagine." – Sakura was already fuming. She hated to wait for her sensei, and there she was thinking that today, for the first time in history, he would actually be on time.

"Do you think Gai-sensei found him?" – TenTen asked her teammates Neiji and Lee.

"Of course he did. Gai-sensei must be kicking his ass for being late, at this very moment." – Lee said, shining with proud for his teacher.

"Pft." – was Neiji's only reply.

The twelve genins and their respective senseis were getting very, very frustrated.

Ino's, Kiba's, Neiji's and Naruto's teams had to get up at 5 a.m., so as not to be late, seing as they were supposed to start heading for the Hidden Sand Village at 6 a.m.

But unfortuntly one of the teachers decided he didn't have to get up so early, so Gai-sensei had decided to go look for the late-bum. Although that was 20 minutes ago, and still no news from any of the two senseis.

Suddenly a column of smoke appeared. And soon enough, from within the smoke appeared the all-so-late Kakashi-sensei. He raised a hand in the air and smiled through his mask. – "Good morning everyone. Sorry I was late but there was this bird that fell from a tree and broke a wing ..." 

"LIAR!" – Gai-sensei appeared from yet another column of smoke and kicked Kakashi square on the ass, sending a flying juunin through the air. – "He was snoring so loud that I had to put eardrums just to be able to get inside the house." – the students were all wide-mouthed, just as the remaining senseis.

"Kakashi, can't you be a little more responsible for once in your life?" – Kurenai said, massaging her tempers, with the starts of a headache.

"That's right Kakashi-sensei. And you call yourself a genius. You can't even saty in track of time." – Naruto yelled.

"I said I was sorry. The thing about the bird happened late in the night and so I got tired and .." – he was once again interrupted.

"LIAR!!!" – every single genin yelled at once.

"Alright. Then lets not lose one more minute. Fallow me!" – he started walking ahead of everyone, ignoring the death stares flaming towards his back.

"Who ever said you're in charge?" – Gai, Kurenai and Azuma asked at the same time. Kakashi smiled.

"Who ever said I wasn't?" – and he sped up his pace a little. The other senseis sighed. This was going to be a long trip.

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Ah! The end of the first chapter, which is just a short introduction. Hope you liked it, and please review. Forgive my grammar mistake, I'm not english.

The next chapter will be up two or three days from now. See 'ya.

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{NightAngel} 


	2. Kakashi's book

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Oi! Here I come again! I want to thank everyone that reviewed. You're the best! Hopefully this chapter will be longer, or at least I expect it to be. Please note that this story came from my troubled mind, so it is not supposed to make all that sense. Enjoy!

Note: Lee has undergone surgery and it was 100% successful. In this fic, I whiped out and ignored the fact that Sasuke left the village with the Sound nins. (It would ruin it)

Summary: The new Chuunin selection exam is comming up, but before that Naruto wants to help Gaara at changing his habits, and getting him some friends, and hopefully, help him develop the bounds he has with his family and the whole village. But what can Naruto do to help him? Since he is also an oucast at his own village. But of course, first he has to arrive safely to Hidden Sand Village. :)

Pairing: No Shonen-ai (sorry). Shikimaru+Ino, Sasuke+Sakura, Naruto+Hinata, Chouji+ ... (not telling!), Neiji+TenTen, and lots of friendship.

Genre: Comedy, General.

Rate: PG-13 (for some cursing)

Spoilers: Mmm... Yeah I guess it has. If you haven't seen through Tsunade's saga, STOP or you might not get some stuffs. But, it doesn't really have that many spoilers, I think!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Naruto. Although I'd sure like that.

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 2: "Kakashi's book"

"When are we going to stop for lunch?" – Chouji asked, stuffing yet another chip into his mouth.

"Why do you care? You've been eating during all the trip." – Kiba said annoyed.

"These are just snacks. I want to stop to be able to have at least a half decent meal." – Chouji said annoyed.

"He is right Kiba-kun. I'm really hungry." – Hinata said timidly.

*Grrrr* someone's, or better, everyone's stomach growled. They had been walking for eight hours straight, without stopping to rest or even to have a meal.

"It's already late. Aren't we going to stop sensei." – Lee asked Gai.

"Yeah, we should definitely stop! Kakashi, let go of that dirty book of yours and stop for a sec, will 'ya." – Gai yelled at the other juunin who was getting away, too absorbed in his readings.

"Now, let's assign the chores. My team will go look for water. Azuma's will go look for food. Gai's for wood and Kakashi's will be setting traps so that we don't get uninvited guests during our meal. Now go!" – Kurenai yelled, and all the genins left in a flash to do their chores.

*************************************************

"Hey! Did you guys see that Kakashi? What the hell was in that book? He seemed to be drown into it or something. It was scary some times." – Kiba asked while they jumped from tree to tree, in search for water.

"I don't know Kiba-kun, but maybe we shouldn't wonder much about it." – Hinata stammered while blushing madly.

"You used Byukugan to see?" – the ususally quiet Shino asked curious.

"Really Hinata? I didn't knew you had it in you. Way'ra go!" – Kiba said joifully.

"Well ... mh..." – Hinata stammered once again.

"What was it? What was it?" – Kiba asked excitedly as they stopped in a random branch.

"Come on Hinata. Even I am curious now." – Shino asked, a little too eagerly for his own taste.

"Yeah spill it out!" – Akamaru barked happily.

"Well, you guys won't believe it but ..."

*************************************************

"Damn I'm bored!" – Shikimaru yamned loudly as he followed his teammates, carrying a dead animal (yeah, I'm not in the mood to put the name of the animal. Use your imagination) on his back.

"Did you guys spot the drool that Kakashi-sensei was producing? What the hell was that book about anyway?" – Ino asked suspiciously.

"If it has nothing to do with food I don't care." –Chouji stated out of boredom.

"You guys are so lame. Did you see the face in Kurenai-sensei when she got a closer look at it?" – Ino intrigued.

"Yeah, she yelled her head off, fainted and when she woke up she was blushing madly and muttering something about perverted senseis and their stupid books not made for youngsters." – Shikimaru pointed out.

"Wow! In a minute you said more than you usually do in a whole day. Besides of course, your annoying complains about being bored." – Ino sighed. – "I really wanted to know what's on that book." – she yelled out, even surprising her teammates.

"I bet I know!" – Shikimaru stated unitersted at all.

"What, what? Tell me!" – Ino asked.

"Not telling!" – he stated, bored again.

"That's Shikimaru for you!" – Chouji said while eating another snack.

"Tell me now or you'll die!" – Ino yelled while grabbing Shikimaru's neck in a tight grip.

"Like if I'm ever scared." – he yamned.

Ino decided to use another tactic, which by her standards was far more accuratte. She realesed her hair from the tight bun it was in, letting it flow freely around her head, and with a sexy look in her face, and batling her eyelishes at her companion, she tried again. – "Just please tell me, *Shikimaru-kun*."

Shikimaru sweatdropped. Not sexy Ino. – "Ino that never worked with me, and it won't be now that you don't even have long hair, that I'll fall for your sexyness." – Ino went ballistic.

"GODDAMIT, just tell me the info. NOW." – Shikimaru could see flames in her eyes, and, not being in the mood to be killed, he decided to answer.

"Alright! Don't make such a fuss. The damn book isn't even worth it. It's simply a book ..."

*************************************************

"Neiji, let's compete." – Lee aimed a finger at his teammate, that seemed not to mind him at all. – "I'm talking to you dammit!" – TenTen shock her head. This happened every day.

"Lee, stop saying nonsenses and start collecting wood." – Neiji ordered. Lee gritted his teeth. Neiji was always so bossy. (No I don't have anything against Neiji, I'm just trying to keep them in character here).

"Neiji I chanlenge you in a wood colleting contest. If I lose I promisse to carry all the wood back to the camp, including TenTen's." – Lee spated out, giving up was never part of his vocabulary.

"And what would I have to do if I lose? Not that I ever do or ever will, but just out of curiosity." – TenTen almost hit her head against a tree when she saw the grin in Neiji's face. One that only she saw and that Lee never knew Neiji made whenever he came up with some stupid chalenge. Neiji actually enjoyed doing this kind of stuff.

"If you loose you'll have to tell everyone that I'm stronger, smarter and more handsome than you." – Lee said happily and confidently.

"And you actually think anyone would belive that? Especially the handsome part." – Neiji said with a smirk.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" – Lee yelled out of anger.

"Calm down you guys. Lets just collect the wood and head back without any fuss, alright. Neiji-kun please stop teasing Lee-kun." – TenTen, the peace-maker.

"Sorry TenTen. She's right Lee. Quit the stupid chalenges and help us collect the wood. Although I would be very pleased to see you carry all the wood back. Now that would be a great sight." – Neiji smiled.

"Neiji-kun stop please!" – TenTen sweatdropped and she watched Lee's flaming figure in front of them. – "Lee-kun calm down."

"He's insulted me again. How am I supposed to stay calm TenTen?" – he pointed a finger at Neiji and stated in a threatning voice. – "Writte my words. Sooner than you think I will defeat you an you will kiss my feet and worship my greatness, or my name isn't Rock Lee." – TenTen was shocked and Neiji could barelly contain his laugh as they continued collecting the wood.

"Hey, you guys!" – TenTen decided to start a conversation, trying to avoid the eternal conflict between her two teammates. – "What was that book that Kakashi-sensei kept on reading?" – she picked up yet another piece of wood that was not humid, because it would be impossible to light it up if it was.

"Don't know. But Gai-sensei seemed intersted in it also. Maybe it's a book about ninja techniques or something." – Lee said calmly.

"Yeah, that's probably it." – They continued on, but a little further TenTen stopped when she noticed Neiji had stopped. – "Something's wrong Neiji-kun?" – She asked her teammate that had stopped dead on his tracks, like if he was deep in thoughts.

Suddenly the boy snapped out of his transe. – "Hugh?" – seemed like he hadn't even heard TenTen's last question. Neiji looked at TenTen and was surprised to see her blush.

"Neiji-kun ... you're blushing." – at that, Neiji blushed even more, and as to dismiss the fact, he started catching more wood. Lee, by now was laughing his head of.

TenTen had never seen Neiji blush before and that was why she also blushed when she saw his *cute* face. But she was way to curious to why her teammate had blushed like that. Then she remembered he had stopped walking when they were talking about Kakashi's book.

"Neiji-kun!" – she called out for him, and he immediatly looked up from what he was doing.

"Yeah?" – was his short reply.

"Do you know anything about that book Kakashi-sensei was reading? Was that why you blushed?" – she asked innocently.

«Damn TenTen, why did you have to ask?» - Neiji thought, but he couldn't avoid the blush that crept across his cheeks. Lee and TenTen exchanged glances.

"Tell us Neiji." – Lee eagerly asked.

"Tell you what? Just keep gathering wood ok. We have to get back soon." – Neiji tried to avoid the subject, but to no avail, his teammates awaited an answer patiently. – "Alright, but afterwards don't tell me I didn't warn you." – he warned out.

"So, what's that book all about?" – Lee asked curious.

"Well, it's ... a book about ..."

*************************************************

"UuuuuuAaaaaaaHhhhhhhh!" – Naruto yelled as he fell, yet, into another trap they had set earlier.

Sakura and Sasuke sweatdropped. How dumb could one be.

"Are you stupid or what? It's the fifth, FIFTH time you fall into the very same trap." – Sakura yelled annoyed.

"Sakura-chan please help me down." – Naruto whined out.

"NO! You are a shinobi, so help yourself out of that mess." – she turned away, leaving a whining Naruto with his foot tied in a rope high on a tree, upside down.

"Sakura-chaaaaaannnn, don't leave me here to die!" – he kept on calling for help and throwing some tantrums, until his forever rival came to sight.

"You're really a dobe, dobe!" – Sasuke smirked, while completly ignoring Naruto's cursings and constant calls for help.

"Help me down you jackass." – Sasuke just kept on ignoring the loud mouthed. – "Don't ignore me you stupid moron. Get me out of here!" 

"And why would I do that? It's not like I'll miss you or anything, dobe!" – he smiled despite himself. How he loved to torture his teammate.

"You asshole, if I stay here much longer I'll die. Get me down now, or Kakashi-sensei will have your head for this, you hear me. Get me down Sasuke." 

"Ah! You gotta be jocking. Who the hell would miss 'ya dobe? Everyone sees you as an annoying brat. I actually think people would thank me if I actually let you hang in there till you died." – Sasuke was so annoyed at his constant yelling that he only noticed what he had said when it was already a little too late.

He gulped hard. It was true he thouht Naruto was all-too-annoying, but he also knew that Naruto's greatest goal was to be noticed, to be wanted, to be missed. For a moment he felt bad. He probably had just hit Naruto where it hurted the most. He noticed Naruto had been quiet and the tangling sensation in his chest felt like a million knifes. He had just hurt his teammate more than he ever wanted too. Truth was that despite their constant rivaliry they had become almost as big friends. Only it was friends that wanted to bite each others head off, but still friends. Friends that would die for one another. Had he just ruined all of that?

He wanted to say something. He wanted to turn around and smile, like if everything he had said was just a meere joke, but somehow he knew that wouldn't work out. What could he say now. Would anything rise Naruto's spirit now? Well, he had to try anyway.

So he gathered all his strength, crushing his pride at least for once, and turned around with a smile and his eyes closed. – "Yo dobe! Did the blood drown your brains already. You suddenly turned quiet, that's so unlique you." – when he opened his eyes he almost yelled. Naruto was still tied up but was now laying limp, eyes closed and all.

Panicking, Sasuke gathered his chakra to his feet and climbed up the tree, taking a kunai and cutting the rope that was kepping Naruto hanging up. He caught the other boy's body in mid air and carried him to the ground. When he reached the floor, he started shaking Naruto's body. – "Wake up you dobe. Wake the hell up or I'll ..." – Damn. He was going to say "Kill you" but if was already dead that would mean nothing. – "Wake up you total moron." – Sasuke shaked him even more, but to no avail. Naruto didn't even shift. – "Listen dobe, I was just kidding, of course Kakashi-sensei will miss you. Iruka-sensei, Sakura, Hinata, Tsunade, Jiraya, lots of people will miss you." – now he shaked even more. – "So don't you die on me, dead-last!" – Sasuke yelled on the top of his lungs.

Naruto's eyes snapped open, and a grin lingered in his lips. – "You fell for it! Muah!" – Naruto started laughing his head off, while Sasuke just stared, trying to get the information into his brains.

Had Naruto just pretended to die, just to be able to scare the hell out of him?

He watched as the dobe rolled over the floor with laughter. Oh! He was so dead!

Naruto stopped laughing and rolling when he sensed something was wrong. Too much silence he thought. When he looked up, he couldn't help but gulp very, very hard. Sasuke was burning so much that Naruto could fell the heat he was emmanating.

"Ah! Naruto you're down already. About time. See if you don't fall into another trap." – Sakura had come back from seting another trap, and at first didn't notice the change in Sasuke (which is quite strange right? She always sees only Sasuke :) ). When she looked up and saw flaming Sasuke, ready to kill Naruto she was way too shocked to even move.

"Sakura-chan ..." – Naruto started. – " ... RUN!" – Naruto ad Sakura started running away, with Heated Sasuke fallowing close behind.

Sakura was yelling her head off, along with Naruto. – "What the hell did you do while I was out, stupid Naruto?"

"I did nothing! He's the one who gets heated up for the smallest of things." – Naruto yelled back, running as fast as he managed. – "AU!" – he whined when he felt a flame burn his back." – "Sasuke you dick! That hurts like hell." – at that, Sasuke burned even more and seemed to start running faster. Naruto yelled and grabbed Sakura's hand, starting to run faster and taking her off with him.

*************************************************

Azuma let out the smoke of the cigaratte, right into Kurenai's face, which owned him a kunai next to his neck. – "What the hell do you think you're doing? Do that once more and you're a dead man." – Kurenai hated the smoke of cigarattes and Azuma knew it all too well.

"Hey, you back already? Did you find water?" – Gai asked when he saw the approaching Kiba, Hinata and Shino.

"Yeah! It was way to easy with Akamaru's help." – Kiba stated as they placed down the bottles filled with water. – "The others aren't back yet?" – Akamaru barked.

"Nope! Oh wait. My team's here already." – soon after, Lee, TenTen and Neiji landed near them, arms filled with wood. The one that brought the greatest ammount was Lee that, as usually had made up a stupid rule for catching wood.

"We think it's enough, right?" – TenTen asked her sensei.

"Yup! More than we need actually, since Lee-kun decided to bring the whole forest on his back." – Kurenai stated.

"Lee, you're my proud shinobi." – Gai and Lee hugged each other, and Kiba commented that the gest seemed a little faggy. (Au! That hurts, since I love Lee-kun. Forgive me Lee)

"Au! Ino! Au! Stop it! Au! Goddamit! Au! Ino stop already! AU!" – Chouji, Shikimaru and Ino joined in. Chouji was eating snacks, as usual. And Ino was having a good time pulling Shikimaru's hair off. As she said, it was the payback for having talked bad about her short hair, and of course, for resisting Sexy Ino.

"Wow! Big animal you bring there Shikimaru. Good job you three." – Azuma said proudly.

"Yeah, yeah! AU! STOP IT NOW INO!" – Shikimaru yelled, which is something so not shikimaru-ish. Ino gigled.

"I hope you have learned your lesson. Never ever resist Sexy Ino again. You hear me Shikimaru?" – evryone sweatdropped.

"Yeah, whatever." – he had to agree, or before dawn he would be hairless.

"Good!" – she said with a smile, before going for a bottle of water. Boy, was she thristy. – "May I?" – she asked Hinata, since her team had been the one to go for the water.

"Of course you can Ino-chan." – Hinata said timidly.

"Thank you!" – Ino drank half the bottle and was satisfied.

"Give me that!" – Shikimaru said oh-so-bossly.

"What was that?" – Ino asked threatningly.

"Please!" – Shikimaru said annoyed.

"Better!" – Ino handed him the half-empty bottle and he drank it all at once.

The three teams of genins and the four senseis were surprised by a curious sound, that seemes close to a tornado, but there was never something as a tornado on the leaf country. That alarmed them and they all picked up their belongings and got into battle stance, ready for the upcoming attack.

"Fire flower no jutso" – they heard someone yell. Soon enough, flames came flying from everywhere, and they had to use their agility to escape them.

"Wait a minute, I know that jutsu." – Kakashi talked for the first time since they left the Hidden Leaf Village.

"WwwwwwwwwwAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" – They saw a flash of Naruto and Sakura pass by, but they didn't even have time to record any of it before they saw flaming, furious Sasuke coming at high speed towards them, and preparing yet another flamable attack.

"Run for your lives!" – Kiba yelled. All of them started running, right on time to escape the flames.

The senseis approached Naruto and Sakura from behind. – "What the hell is going in here?" – Gai asked confused.

"Has Orochimaru taken full control of Sasuke?" – Kakashi asked worriedly.

"The only thing that has gotten control of that dumbass was his hate for me! Au!" – yet another flame hit Naruto's ass. – "You're gonna pay for that one Sasuke bastard." – but he kept on running.

"You mean he is burning the whole forest beacuse you two had yet another fight?" – Kakishi asked surprised.

"Something like that ... yeah!" – Naruto gigled.

Kakashi stopped running and faced Sasuke. The rest of them stopped quite after.

"Sasuke stop right this instant." – Sasuke didn't seem to hear his sensei and he used yet again, fire flower no jutsu. The genins gasped as they saw the flames go to Kakashi, who jumped out of the way at the lat moment. But whata made them gasp again was the sight of of what fell from Kakashi's pocket and got burned by one of the flames.

They all froze. Even Sasuke got back to normal. Kakashi was white.

There, in the floor, layed his marvellous, perverted and burned Icha Icha Paradise. – "You ... you ... BURNED MY ICHA ICHA PARADISE!" – Kakashi yelled out in anger.

" ... Ups!" – Sasuke said, laughing nervously. 

"UPS?" – everyone stared blankly as they saw Kakashi go flamable (that's contagious!:)). – "You burn my precious book and all you have to say is UPS? You're gonna pay for that Sasuke-kun." – before Sasuke could even blink, Kakashi disappereared, just to appear behind him almost immediatly.

And before anyone could register that, Kakashi used Hidden Leaf's Ancient Taijutsu Supreme Technique. – "A 1,000 YEARS OF PAIN" 

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" – (Autch! That has got to hurt! Personally, I think that is his best technique, I still laugh my head off each time I see it.) The genins and the senseis were all dumb at that. Naruto was fallowing Sasuke's 'flight' through the sky, very amused. And Sakura was throwing tantrums at her sensei, for permanently damaging her Sasuke-kun, and hoped he wouldn't get used to it (AU! Naughty!).

"That ... is the lamest excuse for a technique that I ever saw in my entire life!" – Neiji stated.

"Super agree." – the remaining said, still dumbfounded.

"Sasuke-Kuuuuuuuunnnnnnn!" – Sakura ran to his aid.

"Ah!" – they all looked up at Kakashi, that was less flamable by now. – "Now that felt good. I hope he learned his lesson. No one burns my Icha Ich Paradise!" – they all gulped at once. Burned up Kaskashi was scary. – "Now I'll have to buy a new one when we arrive to the next village." – Kakashi cleaned the dirt from his suit and smiled. They all sweatdropped.

"Well, let's get back to campus, and hope our food isn't burned, our wood wasted, and our water evaporated." – Azuma sighed.

"Yeah!" – Kurenai sighed also, and they started walking when they heard Sakura carrying Sasuke, which by the way had turned blue.

"I told you guys that it hurted like hell." – Naruto stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't think I'll be able to stand up on my own for the next 24 hours." – now Sasuke was purple.

"Hey, I got up in 40 seconds." – Naruto grinned. – "That means I'm stronger!"

"Like hell!" – like a miracle, Sasuke got up on his own, although on the back of his head (and the other back too) he was cursing at Naruto. Damn, that hurted, but there was no way in hell he would let Naruto win over him.

"HOLLY SHIT!" – the three genins looked up, to see all the others staring at something that was burned on the floor in front of them.

"What's wrong, Kakashi-sensei?" – it was then that they saw what was on the floor, and they gasped.

A baby tiger had been completly burned, probably by one of Sasuke's missing flames. Now that meant real trouble. The baby tiger was the size of a normal human beeing, so imagine the size of the parents.

"Let's get out of here fast. Forget about the damn food." – Kurenai stammered quickly.

"Hell yeah." – Naruto gulped.

"MOVE!" – Azuma yelled as they started running fast, towards the same path they had came from.

"We have to move fast and get the furthest away from the incident spot as soon as possible. If the parents sense our presence, they'll hunt us to hell and bellow." – Gai said from the front.

"This is all your fault, stupid Sasuke!" – Naruto yelled from the top of his lungs.

"My fault? It was your ..." – Sasuke cut the statement in half, which startled everyone, making them stop. Sasuke was looking at their right, as if he had just seen a ghost. – "THE WHOLE HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE!"

"RUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNN!" – They were wrong. Not only were the parents mad and out for their heads, the whole pack of giant tigers had come to join the party, and they were right after them.

"Will it be of any use if we apologise?" – Kakshi asked.

"OF COURSE NOT!" – they all yelled at once, running like they had never before in their short lives.

"I'm too young to die!" – Ino yelled out.

"Aren't we all!" – Shikimaru stated, annoyed, but no longer bored. (How could he anyway. He's being chased by giant tigers ready to bite his head off.)

And they kept on running, because facing the beats was not an option.

*************************************************

Azuma, Kurenai, Kakashi and Gai had their hands on their knees, as they bend forward, trying to cathch their breath.

Neiji, TenTern, Lee, Hinata, Sasuke and Shino had their backs on a tree, trying to do the same as their teachers.

And Ino, Sakura, Shikimaru, Chouji and Naruto were laying back on the floor, also trying to catch their breath and recovering from the endless ammount of hours they had been running.

A couple of minutes ago, the pack had finally lost track of them, or given up after such a long pursuit. The shinobis were already half dead, and most of them was questioning themselves on how had they managed to run that long. The sun was already starting to appear from behind the hills, which meant they had run all the previous afternoon and all the night too, which meant about FORTEEN hours of straight run for their lifes. That had got to be a record. (Hey, when you're running for your lifes you find strength that you didn't even knew you possessed. And although it's almost impossible to run for that long ... they are shinobis right?)

Suddenly a big *GgggggggggRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr* was heard.

They all let out a big "Hugh ..........". They had not eaten anything for about 24 hours now.

"I can't move anymore, but I'm so damn hungry." – Naruto stated calmly, due to the hungriness.

"Agreed!" – most of the genins said.

"Hey senseis? You're responsible for our safety, so go look for food." – Shikimaru stated.

"Like hell we will. We're as tired as any of you." – Azuma then fell hard on the floor. Boy, was he tired!

"Agreed!" – the senseis said.

"Damn!" – Kiba sighed and then smelled something. – "FOOD!" – all of them got up in a flash.

"What? Where?" – They all asked eagerly.

"Fallow me." – they started running behind Kiba, although their legs were screaming *Stop*. But it was food, and they needed it, even if they had to run for a little longer.

"Uh?" – Was the same thing everyone muttered when they reached a village, surrounded by high walls, gates closed.

"But this is the Hidden Sand Village!" – Azuma stated dumbfounded.

"How the hell did we get here so fast?" – Gai asked as he looked around.

"Hey, who comes there?" – they all looked above, to see a gate guard.

Kakashi raised a hand in the air and spoke happily. – "We came from the Hidden Leaf Village to participate on the Chuunin Selection Examn." – They watched amused as the guard raised a brow.

"You're three days earlier?" – they all laughed nervously.

"Well, something happened and it made us move a little faster." – Kakashi said nervously.

"A little? I'd say you ran your way up here. But never mind. Welcome to Hidden Sand Village." – the guests to the village bowed their heads and said their thanks, before the guard demanded that the gates were opened.

As soon as they saw the gates open, they ran inside the village with all their remaining strength. – "Weird ..." – the guard muttered, but soon dismissed the ocurrence.

"We have to find a restaurant ... and fast." – Gai yelled. So when they saw a big shiny plaque with the word RESTAURANT, they ran in without hesitation.

"PLEASE BRING US FOOD!" – they all yelled, once they sat down.

"Wow! We have hungry custumers today. What will it be?" – a beautiful waitress asked kindly.

"Whatever cames faster!" – Kurenai stated.

"Well we just opened, but the quickest thing is ramen." 

"BRING US THE RAMEN!" – the genins yelled out.

"Ramen then ..." – she left in a hurry into the kitchen.

Soon enough she came out with a couple of ramen cups and served one at a time, laughing lightly when she heard the shinobi's stomachs growl loudly.

"Thank you!" – they all said to the kind waitress.

"You're welcome! Enjoy your meals." –

"We will for sure." – Kiba said quickly before devouring his ramen.

...

80 bowls of ramen after: (Eek! That's five bowls to each ...)

"Ah! I was never so happy to eat ramen." – Gai said happily.

"Yep! Now let's find an hotel or something. I'm dead tired." – Azuma yamned loudly and everyone agreed.

"There's one." – TenTen aimed at a big hotel to their left.

"Let's go." – before they knew it, they were all running into the hotel, startling the men that was at the reception.

"Good morning!" – they said politely.

"Good morning. How may I help you?" – the old men asked kindly.

"We need four triple rooms and four single rooms please." – Kurenai stated.

"Yes madame." – he turned around to grab four pairs of keys. – "Here you go. These are the single room keys, and these are the triple room keys. Each room has an individual bathroom, we serve breakfast from 5 to 11 a.m., lunch from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m. till midnight." 

"Arigatou gozaimasu!" – they bowed and started up the stairs in a flash. The old men smiled warmly.

...

"Here 'ya go! Behave you three, and Sasuke, try not to burn anything!" – Kakashi said as he handed them the key to the room.

"I'm not crazy enough for that." – Sasuke said blushing.

"Why triple rooms? Why do I have to share the room with Ino? She is so going to try and kill me in the middle of the night." –Shikimaru said annoyed, before Ino tried to strangle him once again.

"Ino, stop that please. You three are teammates, you have to get used to sleep on the same room. Now behave." – Azuma said before letting out another cloud of smoke, from between his lips. – "Go!" – he ordered, and watched his team get inside, before going to his own private room. Beeing a sensei had it's good points.

*************************************************

That afternoon, 2.30 p.m.:

"Ah!" – Naruto woke up lasily. – "Men! I wanted to sleep a little longer!" – and he covered his head with the sheets, but to no avail. He wasn't one little sleepy.

He sat up quicly and looked around the room. They were so tired that they jumped in the bed and fell asleep almost immediattly. Sasuke didn't even get into the trouble of going under the sheets. Sakura on the other hand seemed to be sleeping very peacefully, judging by the great smile on her lips. Probably was dreaming of Sasuke.

Naruto smiled. It was long since he had decided to give up on Sakura. She had proved to him that she really was deeply in love with Sasuke, and only the dumbass seemed not to notice it. Actually Naruto had been angry with his rival quite some times because of that. How was it possible that by now he had yet to notice how much Sakura loved him. And they said he was the stupid one.

Naruto jumped off the bed and into the bathroom, he took a quick shower and decided to go for a walk, leaving a note in Sakura's hand, just in case they wondered where he was.

He sang his way into the hall and down the stairs. The old man at the reception smiled and waved at him, as he passed, singing happily.

He watched everyone going on with their simple lives and felt a little bit more happy. At least on this village no one ran from him or scowled him.

*BUMP* - lost in lalaland as he was, he bumped into someone and fell hard on the ground.

"Autch! Sorry there. My fault!" – he said while massaging the back of his head.

"Oh My God! It's him! Run kid!" – Naruto looked around, seing the fear in everyone's faces as they watched him and whoever was that he had bumped into.

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Muah! I'm evil. It's the end of second chapter, and WOW, nine pages (Ok! It's eight pages and a half.)! That's a lot for me. Soon enough (I hope!), I'll be back with Chapter 3. Please review and leave your comments. Thank you!

***

{NightAngel}


	3. Watching the clouds

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Thanks ALOT for the reviews. *Stares* If there is anyone here that is reading "Stay with me!", I would most likely want to apologise for not writting to it right now, but I needed to writte this one fast. I'm a Gaara addicted. Well, anyway, enjoy!

Note: Lee has undergone surgery and it was 100% successful. In this fic, I whiped out and ignored the fact that Sasuke left the village with the Sound nins. (It would ruin it)

Summary: The new Chuunin selection exam is comming up, but before that Naruto wants to help Gaara at changing his habits, and getting him some friends, and hopefully, help him develop the bounds he has with his family and the whole village. But what can Naruto do to help him? Since he is also an oucast at his own village. But of course, first he has to arrive safely to Hidden Sand Village. :)

Pairing: No Shonen-ai (sorry). Shikimaru+Ino, Sasuke+Sakura, Naruto+Hinata, Chouji+ ... (not telling!), Neiji+TenTen, and lots of friendship.

Genre: Comedy, General.

Rate: PG-13 (for some cursing)

Spoilers: Mmm... Yeah I guess it has. If you haven't seen through Tsunade's saga, STOP or you might not get some stuffs. But, it doesn't really have that many spoilers, I think!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Naruto. Although I'd sure like that.

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 3: "Watching the clouds"

Naruto raised his brows and finally decided to look up. What he saw startled him. But what he did next startled everyone else. – "GAARA!" – he got up in a flash. – "Long time no see." – as if they were long time friends, he hugged the other guy. Everyone in the street stared and then suddenly began to panick, yell and run. – "What's up with this village? Wow! They run fast!" – Naruto looked around, to find only smoke from the people's runaway.

"They know better than to hug me." – Gaara stated, showing no emotion at all.

"What are you talking about? We're friends now right?" – Naruto asked with a smile.

"Gaara of the desert has no friends." – Gaara added coldly. (No! I don't hate him. Gaara-kun is my favourite character of all times so go easy on me. Trying to keep him in character, without having to kill Naruto.)

"Oh shut up! Why do you act so cold? You'll never have friends if you keep acting like that." – Naruto asked, wizely.

"I said ..." – Gaara added, although he actually wanted to have friends, but he was not about to show that to Naruto.

"Yeah, yeah! I hear 'ya! Tell 'ya what we'll do. I have the afternoon free, and so I'll donate my precious time to your benifit." – Actually Naruto didn't knew very well what he had just said.

"What?" – Gaara asked, making a face.

"I'll help you get more sociable. Lets start with the people from the village." – Naruto started dragging Gaara behind him.

"I don't care about the village and the village doesn't care about me." – Gaara tried in vain to stop Naruto from dragging him, but to no avail. He could always use his sand and squash Naruto, but that wouldn't be very polite, since stupid Naruto was being nice to him.

"Yeah, right! Let's do it" – Naruto started looking around, trying to find someone that might need help on something. He spotted an old lady, carrying a great ammount of bags. – "Perfect. See that old lady?" – Gaara seemed unitersted. – "Go and carry the bags for her."

"Why?" – Gaara asked bored.

"Because then you'll be helping someone from the village, and then the village will start liking you better if you help. Go on." – Naruto almost kicked Gaara into going.

"She'll just yell her head off and run away." – he said.

"You'll never know if you don't try." – Naruto cheered. – "Go on." – Gaara sighed but decided it wouldn't hurt to try.

"Old lady. I'll carry those bags for you." – and without further notice he took the bags from the old ladie's hands. The women looked up and yelled her head out before running out.

"I told you she would do that." – Gaara said, standing there with the bags in both his hands.

"NO! You total moron! You can't just take the bags from people. What the hell do you think you're doing?" – Naruto was about to kill Gaara, but contained his anger. – "Well, let's try this again. You don't simply come and take the bags."

"Then what am I supposed to do? I thought you said I was supposed to take the bags." – Gaara said annoyed.

"Yeah, but you have to ask kindly. Just watch me and learn." – Naruto spotted a middle aged woman that was carrying a child in her arms, along with a bunch of bags. Gaara watched amused as Naruto made his way there.

"What's he going to do?" – he muttered under his breathe.

"Excuse me! Do you need help with those?" – Naruto asked with a smile.

"Why, thank you young boy. That's very kind of you!" – Gaara was shocked. So that's it? He had to be polite. No way!

He fallowed Naruto and to the lady's house, and the lady invited Naruto for lunch, but he refused politely. Then he walked back to where Gaara stood.

"See? It's as easy as that." – Naruto grinned, with his hands on the back of his head.

"No!" – Naruto gave him a "Hugh?" and he continued. – "I'm not lowering myself to that. Why should I be polite to the very same people that keep on trying to kill me? Not doing it. No!" – Naruto watched him dumbfounded.

"Do you or do you not want to make friends and make the village like you?" – Naruto yelled at the other boy.

"I don't give a damn." - «I always wanted to say that.» Gaara thought.

"Dumbass!" – Naruto hit him on the head, which earned him a death glare. – "You don't scare me! Now, behave and do as I tell you, or you'll never change."

"I don't want to change. I want others to change." – Gaara said finally.

"Right! Then sit down and wait till you die, because there's no way in hell others will change their ways if you don't try to change yours." – Naruto said wisely, with his eyes closed.

He didn't hear any reply from Gaara so he opened his eyes. The other boy was seating on the floor, very calmly.

"What are you doing?" – Naruto asked, e vein popping out from his head.

"Wainting, just like you told me to." – Gaara stated calmly.

"You ... IDIOT!" – and Naruto whacked him across the head once again.

"What are you doing!" – Gaara lost his temper. – "That hurts stupid!" – he yelled.

"Good! Now lets proceed with the plan. You'll aid the people from this village, and you'll do it the right way." – Naruto crossed his arms and looked threatningly at Gaara, who didn't seem one bit disturbed.

"Alright, have it your way! But I'm telling you, everyone will just yell and run." – Gaara sighed heavilly.

"We'll see about that."

...

Three hours later, 22 helps later and 22 screaming citezens later:

Naruto watched dumbfounded as yet another villager yelled his head out and ran away from Gaara, faster then he knew possible.

He saw the sad look in Gaara' face and sighed heavilly. This was more tiring and harder then he had thought.

"Hey, don't worry, they'll eventually start understanding that all you want to do is help. Just don't give up alright?" – Naruto patted his *friend's* shoulder, in hopes of rising his spirit.

"Can we stop for today? I'm tired Naruto." – Gaara was really down. At first he didn't want to do it, but thruth was that he had hoped to at least find a nice person among the ones he had tried to help. But all of them ran off before he could even blink.

"Maybe tomorrow you should try and wear some different clothes. Some people wouldn't recognise you and would let you help them. How about that?" – Naruto smiled.

"Whatever." – Gaara said, trying to hide his smile. He had a good time with Naruto, despite everything.

"Come on! Let's find a nice place to sit down and relax." – In the sand village there were no green places, it was all covered in sand, but fortunetly Gaara knew of a nice place for them to rest.

"There!" – he said walking beside Naruto, who, as usual had a grin in his lips.

"Mou ... It's actually a pretty nice place." – It was the top of a hill, and although there was no grass, the place had no sand either, it was all rocks. - "Should be a nice place to watch the sunset." – Naruto said happily.

It was. Gaara often came there to think. And he smiled when Naruto jumped from rock to rock, and almost fell over.

"Shikimaru?" – the dark-haired boy looked up and sighed. He wanted to be alone and now the hypercative Naruto and the bloodthirsty Gaara were there to crash that. Wait a minute! Did he say Bloodthirsty GAARA!

"Uah! What's he doing here Naruto?" – Shikimaru got up quickly and got into fight stance.

Naruto grabbed his hands and lowered them. – "What are you doing? Gaara is my friend. So quit being so noisy."

"Your ... friend?" – Shikimaru grabbed Naruto collar and shaked the hell out of him, a very Ino-ish thing. – "Are you out of your mind? That's the same guy that once tried to kill us. The one that enjoys killing people. I'm not ready to die yet." – Naruto watched him and then started laughing hard. – "What's so funny." – Good he hated when people started laughing on him.

"Relax, I'm not into killing anyone today." – Gaara assured him, as he sat down on a nearby rock. Shikimaru almost jumped. 

«How can I relax when you're so close?» Shikimaru thought.

"Sit down and enjoy the view." – Shikimaru blinked. Was Gaara being nice? No! That was not a possiblity. But he sat down besides Naruto that was laying down on his back.

"Look Gaara!" – Naruto pointed out to one cloud. – "That cloud reminds me of Akamaru."

"Who's Akamaru?" 

"Akamaru is Kiba's dog. You saw our fight right? Doesn't it have a resemblense?" – Naruto asked smiling yet again.

"Are you comparing a cloud to a dog?" – Gaara asked cluelssely.

"No idiot! You watch the clouds and say what they remind you off. Look, that one seems a cup of ramen. Yumy!" – Gaara almost laughed. Naruto was a ramen addicted.

"I think it seems like your head, after Sakura punched you." – Gaara said funnily.

"What? You're mean." – Shikimaru was amused. Gaara was actually smiling and having fun with that kid's play. He was about to say that it was all so boring and childish, but the way Naruto and Gaara were actually having fun, brought a smile to his lips. Maybe that Gaara guy had actually changed.

"I agree with Gaara. It's defenitly you with a purple eye and some broken teeth." – Shikimaru laughed when Naruto started whining and complaning on how mean they both were. 

Shikimaru didn't complain anymore after that, and they satyed till night had come, and they couldn't see more clouds.

"Well Gaara, see 'ya tomorrow. Meet me on that place at 9 a.m.. Alright?" – Gaara nooded and left with a small "Goodnight" to both shinobis. – "Are you going back to the hotel?" – Shikimaru nodded and they both walked side by side, not saying a word, but both having a smile on their lips.

************************************************************

Naruto jumped tree stairs at a time, going up to his room at the hotel. Shikimaru had found Ino on the way there, and the two started arguing and Naruto decided that disappearing would be a good idea. He opened the door to his room, with a smile on his face.

"Goodnight everyone!" – he blinked a couple of times before registering the image right in front of him. Sasuke was seating next to Sakura, on the edge of her bed. They were seating very close and they both blushed like mad when Naruto got in. – "Sorry! pretend you didn't see me." – Naruto was about to leave again.

"Naruto-kun." – he turned around to see Sakura running his way, with a worried face. – "Where were you all day? We were worried." – Sakura asked still blushing.

"Didn't seem like it." – he muttered. – "Au!" – he yelled when Sakura bumped him on the head. – "I left a note. Didn't you see it?" – he said, rubbing the back of his head, where Sakura had hit him.

"Yeah, but it said nothing specific. What have you been doing anyways." – she asked as they walked inside and closed the door.

"I went out to see the village and to get used to the weather here. This coutry is really hot!" – the other two nooded in agreement. – "How should you know? You've been inside all day? What were you two doing while I was out?" – Sakura blushed, and before Naruto could say anything else, Sasuke charged at him and threw him to the air.

"Kya!!!" – Naruto yelled when he hit his head on the roof.

"Stop thinking perverted things, dobe." – Sasuke yelled blushing.

"Well you two gave the ideas." – Sasuke was ready to kick him again, so he quickly hid behind Sakura. – "Sakura-chan protect me." – he pleaded.

"Sasuke-kun just forget it, you know how he is. Ignore him will you?" – Sasuke sighed and sat back on his bed.

"Whatever!" 

Naruto sighed reliefed and laid down on his own bed.

"So? You spent the whole afternoon doing nothing?" – Sakura asked, siting next to him. Naruto could swear he heard a growl from Sasuke, so he smiled.

"Nope! I was helping Gaara!"

"WHAT?" – his teammates yelled together.

"You mean *the* Gaara? The same one that trapped me with sand against a tree and threatned to kill me?" – Sakura asked dumbfounded.

"Yeah! That's him alright." – Naruto grinned.

"WHY WERE YOU HELPING HIM?" – Sakura and Sasuke yelled at the same time.

"Well, the guy, for once is my friend now, and also because the villagers don't like him all that much and I thought he needed help with that issue."

"That coming from the outcast of our village ..." – Sasuke said.

"That doesn't mean I can't help him here. Well, at leats I try!" – Naruto rolled over, turning his back to his teammates.

"Naruto, Sasuke-kun didn't mean it that way. Listen, what was that about you and Gaara being friends?" – Sakura said while patting him on the back. (Yeah, they are pretty friendly now, and if you notice, on the Manga too. So she's not all that out of character.)

"ISN'T IT GREAT?" – Naruto got up so fast that Sakura fell off. Lucky enough, Sasuke caught her in time. – "Sorry about that Sakura-chan. But listen. When I saw him and said hi and hugged him like a friend, I was kindda afraid he would kill me or something. But he didn't and then I decided to help him and he actually listened to everything I said, and ..." – Naruto was so happy, that it took him a while to notice the faces Sakura and Sasuke where making.

"You ... HUGGED HIM?" – Sakura got up and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him violently. – "Are you out of your mind. What if he killed you? What then, hugh?"

"Sa-ku-ra-chan ..." – Naruto said dizzily.

"Ups! Sorry about that Naruto." – she sat down next to Sasuke and watched as Naruto fell back to the bed, recovering from the violent shake.

"She's right, Naruto. Are you even from this planet?"

"Listen, I wanted to help him. I know how it feels to be an outcast. I know how it feels to have something you don't want inside of ..." – Naruto trailed off. He had said too much. He looked at his teammates and gulped. He didn't want them to know, not now, not ever. If they knew he had the fox demon sealed in him, they would hate him and he would be left alone. He didn't want that. Not from them.

"Dinner time!" – Kakashi suddenly opened the door and came in with a smile, hidden by his mask.

"Hurray! Let's eat." – Naruto silently thanked his sensei for intruding in like that, but he knew that sooner or later Sakura and Sasuke would question him, and he knew he wouldn't be able to lie to them.

"What's wrong? Sasuke, Sakura? Aren't you two hungry?" – Kakashi asked his students that hadn't moved an inch. Sakura jumped and putting on a false mask, smiled and fallowed Naruto down the hall. Sasuke also got up, but with a frown, then he faced his sensei.

"Is there anything about Naruto that we don't know but should know?" – Kakashi eyed him for a second and then smiled.

"That's up to him to tell you. Don't you think?" – and he walked down the hall without another word. Sasuke sighed, and putting his hands on his pockets, fallowed close behind.

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*Cough* I wanted that to sound a little more sentimental, but I failed miserably. I still don't know if in this fic I'll let them know about the Kyubii (is that how you writte it?). But I'll think about it.

Hope you enjoyed it. Please review!

***

{Ana Nunes}


	4. Siblings

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Ah! I hate it! I have to wait one week to get a new chapter of the Manga. Well, I congratulate Kishimoto-san for his work. It must be very hard to make 19 pages for week. Arigatou Kishimoto-san!

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Here are my thanks to everyone who reviewed:

Xoni Newcomer – Thanks for your comments and tips. I'll be sure not to blow it again when I make long fics. Not telling the pairings ... Thanks a bunch! And about letting the Kakashi book issue in an open was purposely made that way ... besides everyone knows that Kakashi reads hentai books ... right? And about the chunins not being able to figth a pack of tigers: 1) there were too many tigers; 2)They were hungry; 3)They were lazy. And ... about Gaara smiling ... I love Gaara and I really wanted to do that. I'm sure you'll find him even weirder in this chapter. Sorry!

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Dark Nemesis 7 – Thanks for the moral support!

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Chronic-fever – Arigatou!

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Kokorodragon – You're all so eager ... I think that's good ... I do the best I can at updating ok?

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Wun-liddo-babi – Yay! Someone likes the same pairings as me! Arigatou!

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Love-chibis – Gaara addicted. Let's join forces! And about the Kyubi, that's exactly what'll do. Arigatou!

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Anonymous – Thanks! I've been training my english for a lot of time now_._

new dragon18 and shinjuki - Sorry! But I like Sasu+Saku. I just think Sasuke is starting to feel something for her in the manga ... and thus. Although I love Sasu+Naru, I don't think I'd ever be ready to writte something shounen-ai.

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CrazyAce & Co. – Thanks a bunch!

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Knowitall - I know! Lame cliffhanger ... but it serves its purpose.

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hana – I'm writing, I'm writing.

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Silver Neo – NO! Not my Gaara. He's mine! ^-^. Yeah I also like Gaara+Naru, but I don't have the guts to make a fic on them. So this is merely friendship ... but ... you can always interpret it the other way around.

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Hiei-luver45 – I'm doing it! Arigatou again!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Naruto. Although I'd sure like that.

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Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 4: "Siblings"

Naruto yamned loudly. He told Gaara to meet him at 9 a.m. so he could have a good night sleep, but he was still so damn tired. 

He got up lazily from the bed and took a quick shower. He came out with the towel around his waist, having forgotten to bring the clothes inside the bathroom. He tried not to make any noise, but unfortunately he tripped on his own shoe and fell face down on the floor. – "Autch!" – he said a little too loud.

"What are you doing dobe?" – Naruto looked up and scowled. Sasuke was awake.

"Go back to sleep dumbass." – Sasuke raised a brow as he watched Naruto run inside the bathroom, clothes in hand.

"What are you up to dobe?" – Sasuke asked to no one in particular. He yawned and got up, walking to Sakura's bed, he shacked her a little bit. – "Sakura-chan. Wake up." – the girl stiffed and rolled over, muttering something like "Get lost!", Sasuke smiled and tried again. – "Naruto fell off the shower and is bleeding to death, don't you wanna say your last words to him?" 

Sakura's eyes snapped open and she got up so quickly that Sasuke fell back and hit his head on the floor. – "Naruto –kun!!!" – Sakura yelled before opening the bathroom door far-too-quickly. – "KYAAAAA!" – she yelled and closed the door again.

She turned around with a ghostly expression and sutured a few incoherent words, before fainting. Sasuke stared dumbfounded, having just a small idea of what she found when she opened the door.

"Sakura-chan!!!" – Naruto yelled when he opened the door, now fully dressed (*hint*), to find a fainted Sakura on the floor. – "Why did you let her in you total moron? I was changing dumbass!" – Naruto almost fell off when he saw Sasuke turn yellow, blue, purple and every single color he knew.

"Sa – SAKURA-CHAN!" – he ran to her and grabbed her, taking her from Naruto's grip. – "I din't mean it I swear." – he turned to Naruto, completely furious. – "Why didn't you lock the door dobe? She'll be traumatized for life!"

"What do you mean with *tramatized*, shithead? You knew I was in there. You should've stopped her from getting in." 

"Shut up! We have to wake her up." – and before they decided to do anything, Sakura woke up.

"Hugh?" – was her first *word*. – "Sasuke-kun? What happened?" – she asked dizzily.

"You don't remember?" – the dark haired boy asked surprised.

"Remember what?" – Sakura then looked up and saw Naruto's worried face. Then it clicked. – "Oh my GOD!" – she was going to faint again.

"NO! Don't faint again!" – Sasuke and Naruto yelled at the same time.

...

"So you're going to meet Gaara again?" – Sakura asked.

"Yeah. But why are you guys following me anyway?" – Naruto asked annoyed. Sakura had hit him several times, just trying to forget the vision of him naked, claiming that the first man she wanted to see naked would be Sasuke, which earned both (Sasuka and Sakura) of them a blush.

"We don't have anything better to do. Besides I'd love to see Gaara use his sand to reduce you to a pulp of blood." - Sasuke said with a grin.

"Dumbass!"

"Dobe!"

"Will you two stop it. Be civilized please." – Sakura pleaded.

"Alright!" – Naruto sighed, and then spotted Gaara in the distance. – "Gaara. Sorry I'm late, we had a few problems back at the hotel." – Naruto inspected the other boy. He had actually followed his advice and changed clothes, which made him look a lot less threatening.

He was wearing some black shorts, and a *net* shirt. Sakura had to admit he looked quite handsome in it.

"I can't belive I'm doing this but ... is this better?" – he asked annoyed, and to Naruto's suprise, blushing just a little bit.

"Yup! Much better, especially since you left that gourd of yours back in the house. Now if you don't mind." – Naruto started messing up with Gaara's hair, which earned him a glare.

"What are you doing?" – Gaara spat out.

"Just dissimulating that tatto of yours. Which is your trade mark. If you hide it, even less people will recognize you and so they'll be nice to you." – Naruto kept changing the way Gaara's hair went (Sorry Gaara-kun. I actually love that tatto of yours.)

"Whatever." 

Sakura and Sasuke watched amused as Naruto interacted with Gaara, without getting killed in the prossess. – "Wow!" – Sakura muttered.

"Well ..." – Naruto took a good look at Gaara and smiled. – "Perfect! Lets get to business alright?"

"I'm not so sure about this!" – Gaara said, not wanting to frighten anymore people than he did yesterday. – "Besides what are they doing here?" – he was referring to Sasuke and Sakura, who gulped.

"Don't mind them. They didn't have anything more intersting to do so they decided to come along." – Naruto grinned.

"Alright! It's not like I care." – Gaara stated, trying to sound uninterested.

"Do your stuff!" – Naruto yelled happily. Gaara almost smiled.

Sakura and Sasuke watched closely as Gaara approached a little boy that had just tripped on a rock, and hurt his knee. The boy was crying and Gaara actually managed to make him smile and carried him on his back, till they reached the boy's house. Of course Gaara was smart enough to disappear before the mother opened the door and recognized him.

"Hell YEAH!" – Naruto yelled and jumped in the air. – "I told you it would work today.!" – Naruto patted Gaara's back.

"It only worked because the boy was too young to recognize me." – Gaara said embarrassed but wearing a frown.

"Who cares. You gave the firts successful step. From now on it will be a lot easier." – Sasuke and Sakura watched amused. – "Come on, come on! Do it again!" – Before Gaara could answer, two shadows came down upon them.

"Gaara, what are you doing?" – Kankuro asked dumbfounded.

"What did you do with our brother?" – Temari asked as she grabbed Naruto's collar and hanged him in the air.

"Why did you come after me anyway?" – Gaara asked, not being one little surprised by his siblings interruption.

"Well ..." – Kankuro started.

"We thought it was weird when we saw you get out at 9, with different clothes and no gourd." – Temari said, throwing Naruto in the air.

"You were worried?" – Gaara asked hopefully, but not really showing any emotions.

"Hugh?" – Kankuro and Temari exchanged glances and blushed, but didn't answer.

"You bitch!" – Naruto came running towards them and took his time, glaring at Temari, who glared back.

"You should go back! I'm fine on my own, just as I always was." – with that Gaara turned his back to them and went to help an old lady collect her glasses, that had fallen to the ground.

"Gaara ..." – Kankuro trailed off.

"Mou ... are you even related to him? You should try to be nicer. He is trying hard to change, but if no one is there to support him he will never be able to do it." – that said, Naruto ran off towards Gaara, congratulating him on yet another good deed.

"Maybe he is right Kankuro." – Temari said ashamed. – "We never actually behaved like real sibling to him.

"Well, he didn't either." – Kankuro snorted.

"You know you're wrong! Everyone in the village wanted him dead, and we, his only family, didn't even try to sooth that pain. Not even once. If he acted all cold to us, it was because we acted the same way towards him." – Temari smiled, when she saw her brother help Naruto and another lady carry lots of packs inside a building. – "Let's try harder."

"Why not!" – Kankuro seemed uninterested, but deep down was also smiling at his brother's efforts. That Naruto guy was amazing, he had to admit it.

... (Three hours later)

"Mou ... I'm tired!" – Naruto spat out, grabbing onto Gaara for support.

"Me too ..." – Gaara was breathing hard. Today was market day and there was a lot of people needing help at carrying bags and such. Some had yelled and run, but today, most of them had accepted the help of both boys.

"Here!" – both boys looked up, to see Sakura handing them two bottles of fresh water.

"Arigatou Sakura-chan!" – Naruto said, both taking the bottles and drinking it all in one gulp.

"Let's go out for lunch!" – Temari said, for the first time in the three hours. She grabbed her little brother's right arm and dragged him away, with a smile. Gaara was surprised, but couldn't help the smile that came to his lips.

"Come on, you too!" – Kankuro said to Kakashi's students. They nodded happily and followed the three siblings to the restaurant.

... (Yeah I cut the meal, it's not of much interest)

"Ah! Now that was a nice meal!" – Temari said happily.

"I agree!" – Naruto yelled out. And the others laughed as he tripped and fell face down on the floor. – "Damn! That always happens to me." – he cursed.

"OH MY GOD!" – Sakura yelled, earning their full attention.

"KARAOKE!" – Sakura and Temari yelled and squeaked at the same time. The boys sweatdropped.

"I wanna go in!" – Temari pleaded.

"Me too, me too!" – Sakura also pleaded with puppy eyes.

"NO!" – the four boys yelled at once.

"PLEASE!" – they both yelled, while jumping, Temari on top of Gaara, and Sakura on top of Sasuke. – "Pretty please!" – the boys sighed and decided they had not much of choice, so they got in with two squeaking girls.

"What's that Karaoke thing anyway?" – Gaara asked, surprising everyone.

"You don't know what Karaoke is?" – Kankuro asked.

"Me neither." – Naruto said timidly.

"Dobe!" – Sasuke snickered. – "It's the most annoying thing in the world, that's what it is."

"No it isn't!" – the girls yelled. – "It's lots of fun. You get to sing your favorite songs and have fun with your friends at the same time." – Sakura concluded.

"SING?" – Naruto and Gaara asked at the same time.

"Yep!" – Naruto and Gaara cursed their miserable lives, while the girls paid for a karaoke room.

...(Look I don't know about karaoke, and honestly I don't know any Japanese song, so just use your imagination ok!)

When they entered the not-so-small karaoke room the boys sat down with a *thump*.

"I'll sing first!" – Temari yelled while running to the Karaoke machine, to choose a song.

"Wow! They have lots of songs! We're gonna stay here for the whole aftrenoon." – Sakura said delighted. The boys sighed. 

"It's going to be one long and boring aftrenoon, I tell 'ya!" – Kankuro muttered to the other boys, earning a glare from both girls.

"Be quiet!" – Temari yelled, as she picked a Cd (I think ... so don't mind the details) and clicked play.

The boys gasped when Temari started singing a slow song. She had an amazing voice ... much unlike what you'd expect from her. Gaara and Kankuro were the most shocked ones. 

A loud shriek was heard from outside the door, which made them all turn their heads to the entrance.

"I want a Karaoke room, and I want it now!" – they heard a loud girl scream outside. Temari pressed pause and fumed. Who the hell had dared to interrupt her karaoke, would pay with their lives.

"Oh please! You're so troublesome!" – a male voice came quite after.

"Yeah! They said already that they don't have any room left. So let's just get something to eat." – another male voice said.

"NO! I want Karaoke! NOW!" – the girl voice yelled, which made everyone in the room to shield their ears.

"But miss, as I said before, all our rooms are taken. I would very much like to have you here, but I can't. I'm really sorry!" – they recognized this voice as being the one from the owner.

"See! Let's go, this is do boring, and you're annoying!" – Gaara and company sweatdropped. It didn't take a genius to find out who was behind the door.

"It's Ino pig and company! Make sure you don't show your presence or she'll try to get in our Karaoke room." – Sakura muttered.

"Oi! Shikamaru!" – they all turned their heads and fell off when they saw Naruto at the door, waving at Ino's team.

"YOU MORON!" – Sakura yelled and whacked him across the head.

"Big forehead? What are you doing here?" – Ino asked when Sakura came to the door. Then she noticed someone else. – "Sasuke-kun." – she jumped high in the air, ready to land on her crush's arms, but Sasuke run and she hit the floor. (Muah! That's so freaking funny in my head!)

"ITTAI!" – she yelled once she got up. – "Why did you do that Sasuke-kun!" – Everyone sweatdropped.

"Are you all friends?" – they, once again, turned their attention to the door, where the owner stood. Naruto nodded as an answer. – "Then they can stay in here right? The girl seemed really eager to sing and I don't have any spare room left. Would you mind that?" – the group sweatdropped, but not wanting to be rude, they said ok. – "Thank you! I'll make a special discount for you!" – and he left, closing the door behind him.

The nine genins exchanged glances, before sighing deeply.

"I was wrong!" – Kankuro started. – "This is going to be a hell of an afternoon, and we're going to get fried." – the other boys sweatdropped and nodded in agreement.

__

DONE! Did you like it? I know they might seem a little out of character once in a while ,and I apologize.

Please let me know what you think and review!

***

{NightAngel}


	5. Karaoke rocks

__

Ohayo, again! Arigatou for all the reviews, and please enjoy this new chapter ... which is supposed to be quite funny ... like all the previous ones (I think!).

****

Note: I never mentioned it, but they should be about 15 years old (Kankuro 16 and Temari 17). Because of the war, the chunin selection exam was retarded.

Disclaimer: I don't own related to Naruto. Kishimoto-san was the genius behind it all.

****

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 5: "Karaoke rocks!"

Ino and Sakura glared at each other. – "I'm going to be the first one to sing!" – Ino said.

"In your dreams Ino pig! I paid for this room, so I get to sing first!" – Sakura gritted back. The boys sweatdropped.

"SHUT UP!" – Temari gave each girl a punch and picked up the microphone. – "You interrupted my previous rehearsal, so I shall continue." – and she pressed play, starting the song again.

Naruto, Gaara, Kankuro and Sasuke sharped their ears, they wanted to appreciate Temari's song.

When she started singing again, all the boys gasped. The girls, fumed and glared at Temari.

«She's getting all the attencions!» - Ino looked over at Sakura, that was currently trying to close Sasuke's wide open mouth. Then she looked over at Shikamaru and smirked. She never saw him so absorted in any of this sort. Oh! He was in for some teasing.

"Shikamaru ..." – she sang as she sat next to him on a very comfy couch. – "What are you mesmerizing about?" – She put an arm around his neck and whispered in his ear. – "Could it be that uninterested and oh-so-boring Shikamaru finally fell in the endless traps of *love*?" – she watched amused as he blushed and then turned to her.

"What are you talking about? I simply was amazed at her great singing skills. Stop being annoying!" – Ino grinned widely and inched closer to him, which made his blush grow wider. Their faces were mere inches apart.

"Liar!" – she whispered slowly, and then sat back on the couch with a big smile on her lips. What she didn't notice was the blush that still stained Shikamaru's face, while he looked down at his feet.

"Woman!" – he muttered under his breath.

When Temari finished her song, the boys clapped happily, congratulating her for her great singing skills. She bowed her head and thanked them with a smile and a blush.

"Bah! Show off!" – Ino and Sakura muttered under their breath and jumped, at the same time, to the Karaoke machine.

"It's my turn now!" – Sakura yelled, while fighting with Ino over the microphone.

"No! It's my turn, big forehead!" – Ino yelled. The remaining sweatdropped once again.

"No! It's mine, Ino pig!" – and they continued glaring at each other.

"You're both so annoying!" – Shikamaru sighed, bored.

Ino turned her attention to her teammate. - "Shut up Shikamaru! What do you know?" – And that single moment of distraction, gave Sakura the chance to start singing. When Ino saw this, she exploded. – "Shikamaru!" – she fumed out, Shikamaru sweatdropped.

"Mmh .... Sorry!" – he stammered, but to no avail. Flaming Ino charged at him and started the very slow killing process, while the others enjoyed Sakura's sweet voice. 

Even though she wasn't as talented as Temari, she sure had a good voice.

Soon Sakura's song was over, and everyone clapped. Ino, seeing her chance come, let go of poor and almost dead Shikamaru, and jumped on stage.

Temari looked dumbfounded at Shikamaru who was barely alive on the couch next to hers, and asked the chubby guy, she knew for the name of Chouji. – "Is she always like that?" 

Chouji noded and then turned to her with a smile. – "But don't worry! She never finishes the job!" – Temari sweatdropped. – "Not that Shika would let her anyway." – and with that said, he ate another snack.

When Ino started singing, everyone shrieked. She had the most annoying voice in the whole planet. Gaara was tempted to use his sand to shut the girl up, when the song finished. They all sighed relived, while Ino giggled.

"Where are my claps?" – she yelled, scaring the hell out of everyone in the room. They all clapped (for their lives), earning a smile from the blonde genin girl. (She's scary sometimes, but I still like her ... when she's with Shikamaru!^-^)

Ino sat down, beside a pained Shikamaru and her eyes seemed to soften when she saw him flinch. – "Sorry! But you deserved it!" – she grinned.

"That's why I hate woman! Espeacilly bossy ones!" – Shikamaru said with a pain cry.

Chouji coughed up on his snacks, and Temari patted his back. – "You alright?" – Chouji nodded and then turned to his friend and teammate.

"Are you sure it's not the other way around?" – Everyone stared at Chouji, missing the blush on Shikamaru's cheeks.

"Shut up!" – Shikamaru threw a pillow at Chouji's, hitting him full in the face. Which made the genin fall backwards, into Temari's lap, making them both blush.

"What are you doing?" – Ino yelled, whacking Shikamaru and sending him flying across the room. – "Stop embarrassing poor Chouji!" – Ino was ready to go and beat him up a little bit more, when Chouji stood in the way.

"It's alright Ino! I think he was enough beaten up already." – everyone stared at Shikamaru, standing in the middle of a pulp of blood. (NO! Poor Shikamaru, what am I doing to you!)

Ino looked at her work, and for a moment there, she regretted it, but ... – "He deserved it!" – But she went there ad picked her teammate up, taking him to the couch they were both sharing. – "Next time be sure not to piss me off!" – Shikamaru nodded lightly.

For a few moments there was a mortal silence in the room, as they all sat down on the couches. Then Temari decide to speak. – "What's wrong with you people?" – she eyed the boys carefully. – "Are we here to have fun or what? Get those heavy butts up and start singing!"- ... none of the boys moved ...

A vein popped out of Temari's forehead. – "You ... MORONS!" – she grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her up, much to the girls protest since she was seating next to Sasuke. – "Let's make a duet and teach these stupid heads how to sing." – Temari picked up her microphone and handed another one to a very nervous Sakura.

"Mm! Temari-chan, I never sang in a duet." – Sakura stammered as the music started.

"There's always a first time to everything!" – Temari was the first to start and soon enough Sakura was following the lead perfectly. Everyone was caught up in the song, and Ino was fuming all around, making Shikamaru tremble at the though that she might decide to ease her frustrations on him ... again.

The song ended up all to quickly, but the spectators clapped happilly.

"Arigatou!" – both girls said, blushing.

Sakura went to seat back, next to Sasuke and Temari walked up to where Gaara was, between Naruto and Kankuro. - "Sing with me Gaara!" – Temari pleaded to her younger brother.

"Not in this life!" – Gaara spat out. 

"That was not a request!" – she yelled out.

"Ok!" – Gaara said nervously as he watched the fire in her eyes. – "But I warn you that I do not know the lyrics." – Gaara scowled and sighed.

"Minor detail!" – Temari said happily. – "Aha! I want this one!" – She showed the name to her brother and he nodded uninterested. Then she placed the Cd on the machine, picked a microphone, and gave another to her brother, along with some papers. – "Here are the lyrics. Don't mess it up!" – Gaara sweatdropped, along with everyone else in the room. –"Let's see if you can sing little bro." – and she pressed play.

Naruto and the others could barely contain their laugh while watching Gaara's nervousness and Temari's killing glare to him, incentive him to sing ... and sing well. Gaara did as asked, but not being used to sing or even to the song itself, he made a big mess out of the lyrics. And once in a while, where a melodic voice should be heard, you heard a loud scream instead, coming from a very annoyed Temari, or a very forced up Gaara.

By the time they were finished, everyone in the room was laughing their heads off, hugging onto each other for support. Gaara blushed and Temari fumed. That was a sight to watch!

"ENOUGH!" – Everyone sat up right, forcing back their laughter, as they heard a very annoyed Temari yell out. – "Who's next?" – she asked threateningly, and as usual no one moved.

Gaara had already gotten back to his seat and was now trying to hide his blush.

"YOU!" – Temari pointed out to Naruto, very pissed off. But, the oblivious Naruto, simply pointed out a finger at himself and then smiled.

"Ok!" – and he got up, to everyone's surprise. – "It can't hurt right?" – Temari nodded, and handed him the second microphone.

"I don't know if the basic rules apply to you dobe!" – Sasuke started.

"What, you bastard!" – but he was cut off when Temari whacked him across the head and handed him the papers.

"Sing well, or you're dead!" – he sweatdropped again and nodded. 

«Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come sing with her. She's scary!» - Naruto though to himself, as the music started.

Well, if they though Gaara was funny, then they must've ripped their stomach apart from laughing so hard when Naruto started singing.

It wasn't exactly his singing skills, because his voice was quite ... hearable (if that even exists), nor was it about the fact that he couldn't fallow the lyrics, because he did perfectly fine on that, but the fact that he started dancing around and falling over every other thing that stood on his way ... made him a real clown. 

Naruto tripped on the wire, hit his head on the column and then rolled to the floor, and all the way he kept on singing, just so you have a minor idea of what happened during the song.

Even Temari stopped singing just to see him and laugh her head off each time he fell over, never to stop singing. But soon, the song was over, and a very injured Naruto fell on the couch ... exhausted to say the least. The others were still laughing their heads off.

"Oh my God! I never laughed so hard in my life! You're a living joke Naruto!" – Naruto smiled and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, but was too tired to reply to Temari's comment.

Naruto looked over at Sasuke. He was curious to if his forever rival had laughed too. To his surprise ... and disappointment, Sasuke was looking back at him with a neutral expression.

"What dobe?" – Sasuke asked when he saw Naruto's surprised face.

Naruto fumed, and thus missed the big smile that lingered on his rival's face, and the hand that flew to cover his own mouth, to avoid the laughing show he was about to give, because actually he had wanted to laugh as hard as everyone else ... but he managed to contain himself ... somehow ...

"NEXT!" – Temari yelled again, when they had finally recovered.

"Me, me! Let me choose a partner to the next duet!" – Sakura asked eagerly. Temari nodded and Sakura got up, dragging Sasuke behind her.

"What are you doing?" – Sasuke asked.

"Come on Sasuke-kun! Sing with me ... just this once!" – Sakura asked.

"No! There's no way in hell I'm going to make a fool of myself in here!" – That comment earned him death glares from Naruto and Gaara.

"Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee!" – Sakura begged cutely.

«Damn that big forehead! You'll pay for this!» - Ino though, while grabbing Shikamaru's hand and holding it so tight that the hand was turning purple, much to Shikamaru's despair.

"Argh! Ok! But just one!" – Sasuke finally gave in with a blush.

"Alright!" – Sakura jumped in the air and then picked up a single, gave the microphone and the lyrics to Sasuke and pressed play.

"I can't belive I'm doing this!" – Sasuke muttered under his breath, as he looked over the papers, and then blushed. It was a love song. «There's no way I'll sing this with her» And when he was about to say that out loud, Sakura started singing. Sasuke was surprised by her voice, that he couldn't say the words.

When his time came to sing, Sakura gave him a *look*, but it still took him a while to catch the idea, and as embarrassed as ever he started singing the song with her.

"It's so romantic!" – Temari muttered. – "She chose well."

«I can't belive that big forehead had the guts to sing this song with him. I'm so going to kill her after this.» - Ino though while strangling poor Shikamaru, who was starting to see it all black. (No! Shikamaru-kun, I'll save you!)

Chouji watched amazed, as his friend died slowly in the arms of his team-leader. – "You might want to stop that Ino-chan! I don't think Shika can take much more of it." – Chouji stated, at the same time the song ended.

Ino looked down at her *annoying* teammate and panicked. He had turned purple. – "Shikamaru-kun!" – she yelled. – "Please don't die! I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!" – Ino started crying, but still not letting go of Shikimaru's neck .

"Let ... go ... of ... my ... neck ..." – Shikamaru managed to say.

"Ah!" – she let go of him all-too-quickly, which made him fall head on the floor (Argh! I'm so mean! Sorry again! ) – "Oh no! Sorry!" – Ino yelled oh-so-loud, giving Shikamaru an even greater headache. She helped him up into a seating position. – "I'm so sorry Shikimaru-kun. Please forgive me!" – she hugged him and started crying on his shoulder.

"Alright, alright! Just don't yell ok?" – he stated, while massaging his tempers.

"You're so good to me!" – Ino said happilly. – "Let me make it up to you!" – Shikamaru eyed her suspiciously.

"No thank you! You know I don't like your cooking!" – he stated, making everyone sweatdrop, and a vein appear in Ino's head.

"Not that you moron!" – she whacked him across the head ... again. – "And what's so wrong about my cooking?" 

"Do I need to answer that right now? Because I think you killed me enough for one day already!" – Shikamaru said nervously.

"What I meant was that I'll let you be my duet in the next song. Chosen by me of course." – Ino said happilly.

"No!" – Shikamaru stated flatly.

"What do you mean with no?" – Shikamaru watched as her eyes flamed up. – "Give me the right answer!" – she flared out.

"Oki!" – Shikamaru agreed in a very tiny and frightened voice.

"Now you're talking! C'mon!" – She got up, dragging him behind her. Everyone watched amused as she chose a song and gave the microphone to Shikamaru.

"I need the lyrics." – Shikamaru stated bored.

"No you don't! You know this song very well!" – Ino stated smiling.

"How's that?" – Shikamaru asked ... yet again ... bored.

"You hear me sing it everyday!" – Shikamaru's and Chouji's eyes widened at that remark.

Shikamaru let go of the microphone and was about to run off, when Ino grabbed him. – "Oh no you don't! You're singing this one with me! NOW!" – Everyone gulped. That Ino was a monster in disquise.

"No! I'll sing any song! Any song but that one! NO I tell 'ya!" – Shikamaru yelled back.

"You don't want to see me angry Shikamaru-*KUN*, now do you?" – Ino threatened.

"You said you were making up for the previous death of mine. So at least let me chose the stupid song." – Shikamaru almost pleaded.

"What is about that song anyway?" – Temari asked Chouji.

The chubby guy smiled. – "Nothing much, besides the fact that it is a very ... very fluffy song and that Shikamaru hates it. Or at least ... he would hate singing it with her ... to her!" – Chouji's smiled turned into a smirk.

"What's so wrong about it being fluffy? It only means that it is a love song. Right?" – Temari pointed out.

"Yeah, but the problem with this song is that it is originally singed by a couple, who through the song are confessing their feelings to one another and saying what they love and don't about each other." – Chouji continued.

"So?" – Temari urged.

"Well, if you listen carefully to every detail, the song looks like it was made purposely for him and her." – Chouji smiled at her, with closed eyes.

"Of course. They wrote the lyrics thinking on each other, how should it not." – Temari still didn't get the idea.

"I was talking about Shika and Ino, not the authors of the lyrics." – Chouji finished.

"Ugh?" - ... – "Oh!" – and that was the end of the conversation. (^-^)

"NO! I want this song! Shikamaru-kun! Let's do it! Let's do it! Please!" – Ino pleaded.

"N-O. NO!" – Shikamaru was trying really hard to hide the blush on his cheeks.

"Will you two shut up and sing! Shikamaru what the hell is wrong with you anyway?" – Gaara finally spoke. He was tired of that meaningless fight.

"You could at least give me the reason Gaara. I'm trying to keep my sanity here!" – Shikamaru said.

"GAARA?" – Ino and Chouji yelled at the same time.

"Like in Gaara of the sand? The one that fought with Lee-san and Sasuke-kun?" – Ino asked surprised.

"Yeah! So what?" – Gaara said calmly.

"Kya! Protect me Shikamaru! Use your ability or something! I'm too young to die!" – Ino yelled while running to behind her teammate. The others swaetdropped.

"Ino-chan. We've been inside this room for over an hour and he hasn't done anything yet. So why the hell would he now?" – Chouji stated, filling his mouth with chips.

"You're right, fat ...."

"Beeep!" – Shikamaru interrupted just in time.

"How come you didn't kill us yet?" – Ino asked, aiming a finger at Gaara.

"I'm not in the mood! But I'm telling you ... choose a damn song quickly or I might change my mind!" – Ino shivered from head to toe, and hugged Shikamaru even harder

"He's joking 'ya know?" – Shika stated, blushing just a little bit.

"Are you?" – Ino asked hopefully.

"Yeah I am!" – Ino sighed relived and then went to the Karaoke machine.

"Alright, you win! You annoying bastard. Let's sing this one then!" – Shikamaru didn't even look at the song, he just nodded.

But he soon regretted it, when she gave him the lyrics. – "WHAT?" – he yelled, startling everyone. – "I'm not singing this!" 

"SHUT UP AND SING!" – everyone in the room yelled.

Shikamaru blushed and muttered some tantrums under his breath, before the music started. It was yet again, another love song ... and he had no other choice but to sing. Chouji couldn't help his laughter as he watched his childhood friend sing, looking like a red tomato.

The others were surprised that the voice of the two sounded so good together, because when Ino had sung earlier, her voice seemed like trash, but now she seemed to be putting all her soul in this one, along with Shikamaru who didn't seem to want to make a fool out of himself.

When the two finished, the others clapped furiously. 

"Wow! Ino pig you and Shikamaru were amazing!" – Sakura said happily. Ino blushed and thanked her before seating back on the couch, with Shikamaru following right behind.

Another moment of long silence. – "What now!" – Temari got up angrily and glared at her other brother. – "Get your ass up Kakuro! I wanna hear you sing!"

"No way! I'm out!" – the boy crossed his arms over his chest and closed is eyes, as if to make is point clear.

A smile came to Temari's lips. – "Oh yeah!" – she knew her brother didn't like to be the worst at anything, and as he and Chouji were the only ones who hadn't sang yet, she had a plan. – "Chouji-kun, get up!" – Chouji almost split out his chips.

"What?" – he asked surprised.

"Come on! Everyone as sang at least once! You don't wanna be the *only* one not to, right?" – Chouji blushed a little.

"I don't know how to sing!" – he said embarrassed.

"Who cares! Besides you'll never know if you don't try!" – Temari grabbed his hand and pulled him up with a little too much ease. – "I thought you were heavier!" – that earned Chouji another blush as they walked to the front 'stage'. – "You wanna chose the song, or can I pick one up?" – Temari asked him.

"You chose! I don't know any!" – he said, while putting his chip's bag on his pocket.

"Waaiittt!" – Ino got up and walked up to Temari. – "There's a song he knows!" – Ino picked up the single she had previously wanted to sing with Shikamaru and handed it to Temari.

"No, no, no! Not that one!" – Chouji yelled. Temari eyed him confused.

"I though you said Shikamaru couldn't and wouldn't sing it, but why can't you?" – she asked curious.

"I told you already! Too fluffy for my own taste!" – he said embarrassed.

Temari eyed him suspiciously but decided to choose another song, much to Chouji's happiness.

"Chouji, you big fat... (again interrupted by Shikamaru). What do you think you're doing! Sing my song! I want to hear it! Sing it now!" – Chouji sighed.

"Alright, alright! Put the stupid song on Temari-chan!" – Temari smiled despite herself. This was going to be fun.

"Alright. You're the best fat.... " (In case you don't know, she was going to say fatass, which is a taboo word for Chouji. That's why Shikamaru stops her.)

"Beeeeep........." – Shikamaru said, right on time as usual.

The song started and Chouji buried his face on his scarf, embarrassed. But Temari pushed it down and they sang the song perfectly. Her voice matched his very well.

When the song ended ... –"Chouji you're the best!" – Ino cheered. Chouji and Temari sat down.

"For someone who never sang, you did a pretty good job Chouji-kun." – she said with a smile.

"Thanks! I guess hearing Ino sing it so many times really paid out." – he stated embarrassed beyond measures.

"Oi! Kankuro, you're the only one left!" – Temari teased.

Kankuro fumed and got up. – "You're going with me!" – he said, grabbing Gaara's arm and dragging him along, while Gaara grabbed Naruto. 

"You're singing as a trio?" – Sakura asked.

"No!" – Naruto said, trying to run back to his seat.

"If I have to stay, you stay too!" – Gaara said, while grabbing his jacket forcefully.

"Mou ... why me!" – Naruto pouted.

Kankuro chose a song and had to share the lyrics with the other two, since none knew them.

Needless to say, it was the hardest joke any could give. The others laughed so hard, that they could swear they were going to die from laughing so much. And this time, even Sasuke couldn't contain his laugh for long.

"Well, at least we provided a good show!" – Kankuro said, when they finished the song and the others were still laughing.

The show ended with the greatest group song ever. And after that, each left for their destiny, promising to see each other the next day. As the moon already filled the sky, announcing the end of another day.

__

.......... How was it? I just know I laughed a lot! And I'm sorry if I didn't go deep enough with the details. Please leave your comments.

***


	6. WHAT?

__

Hello there again! Well, first of all, I'm very happy that you liked the last chapter, and I only hope you like this one even better. Thank to all:

Love-chibis; Chibi Dragon; Kurri Prince; CrazyAce; KurokuKaze; Chronic-lover; DocDragon; Silver Neo; Kira-sama; Dark Nemesis 7; Neko – Metallium.

Please enjoy! And just one request. If you could ... please go check my one-shots and if you like it ... tell me, and if you don't ... tell me anyway! ^-^

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Naruto.

****

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 6: "WHAT?!?"

"YAMN!" – Naruto ... yawned (^-^) ... when he woke up the next morning, stretching his arms high up the air. He looked around the room, only to immediately find the always-watching eyes of his rival, Sasuke. They glared at each other, before Sasuke got tired and decided to get up.

Sasuke walked slowly to the bathroom and when he was about to get in, a flash of blonde and orange ran past him and closed the bathroom door, right on his nose.

"NARUTO!" - he yelled angrily.

The other boy opened the door slightly and showed him a finger, Sasuke almost caught it before Naruto pulled his hand inside once again, locking the door from the inside.

"Stupid!" – Sasuke muttered under his breath, while massaging his tempers, predicting the upcoming headache. He walked back to his bed and fell loudly on top of it, yawning loudly.

"Good morning Sasuke-kun!" – he heard from above. Opening his eyes he found a girl with pink hair and green orbs, staring at him.

"Morning!" – he yawned once again and sat up on his bed.

"Where's Naruto?" – she asked, while seating next to her teammate.

"In the bathroom! That moron!" – Sakura gave him an inquiring look. – "Just forget I ever mentioned anything Sakura! Just forget it!" – and he fell backwards to the bed once again, sighing and closing his eyes shut.

"Mmh!" – Sakura lifted a brow at him, and was about to say something when a loud noise, coming from the bathroom, called both their attention.

It was something like this: *Thump* "Autch!" *Tromp*"Mou!"*Trip**Fall**Roll**Hit*"ITTAI!!!!"

Sakura and Sasuke flinched each time a new yell and weird sound came.

When Naruto came outside, they stared for a few moments before breaking into laugh.

"What's so funny? I just hit my head in every corner of that bathroom, and you laugh at me? It's not funny!" – Naruto said, very pissed and very ... bruised. His teammates continued laughing.

............................................

Fourty minutes later (just because it took quite a while for Sakura to get ready):

"Yamn!" – Naruto came again.

"Can't you keep your mouth shut dobe?" – Sasuke asked while slapping Naruto's mouth shut. Much to the other boy's annoyance. – "AU!" – Naruto bit Sasuke's hand, making the raven haired boy take his hand from his mouth. – "You asshole!" – Sasuke and Naruto started a fight right there in the middle of the hall.

"It's your own fault you moron! Don't ever touch me with those dirty hands of yours!" – Naruto yelled back, while trying to punch him.

"Oh no! Here we go again!" – Sakura sighed heavily.

"Sasuke-kun!" – before Sasuke knew it, two arms wrapped around him, making him miss the punch he was about to deliver on Naruto's face.

"Ino pig! Get off Sasuke's back!" – Sakura yelled quickly, pulling the other girl's hair.

"Let go of me!" – Sasuke yelled in exasperation.

"I though that after yesterday she would've figured it out, but seems like I was wrong!" – Chouji said calmly as he walked side by side with Shikamaru.

"Well, I'm actually glad she didn't!" – Shikamaru stated yawning.

"She didn't figure out what?" – Naruto asked, startling the two boys.

"None of your business loud-mouthed!" – Shikamaru retorted annoyed.

"Mou! Don't be so mean!" – the three boys watched amazed as Sasuke, Sakura and Ino interacted.

"Please! Not again!" – the three turned around when they heard Kiba's voice and Akamaru's barking. – "Morning!" – the boy said when he stopped next to them. Hinata and Shino followed right behind.

"Good morning ... Naruto-kun!" – Shikamaru sighed as he watched a very shy Hinata play with her fingers, and a very quiet Shino not saying a word. (I actually like Shino-kun!)

"Oi Hinata-chan!" – Naruto decided that it was getting boring to watch his teammate being disputed by two fan girls, and actually paid attention to the shy girl. He approached her and they started a random conversation, much to the others surprise.

"Good morning!" – Lee said cheerfully as he and his teammates came out from their room. – "Hey! Sakura-chan!" – he quickly ran off to greet his lovely Sakura, leaving a very annoyed Neiji and a stupefied (Does that word even exist?) TenTen behind to watch as got dumped once again.

"Morning!" – Shikamaru and company greeted. Neiji nodded and TenTen smiled.

"What are you guys planning on doing today?" – Kiba asked while patting Akamaru's head.

"Training of course! Or did you forget the Chunin selection exam starts in two days!" – Neiji stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm tired of training! I wanna do something fun for a change! Besides our senseis gave us these days off and I didn't even had the time to watch the city!" – Kiba pouted.

"He has a point there!" – TenTen agreed. – "Maybe we should take the day off!" – Neiji watched her closely before agreeing.

"Why not!" – he said uninterested. 

"How about you?" – Kiba said, turning to Ino's team and Naruto's team also. – "Are you coming?"

"Sounds boring to me!" – Shikamaru stated.

"Is there going to be any food there?" – Chouji asked, while rubbing his stomach.

"Sounds fun to me! We're going!" – Ino said in a threatening voice, while glaring at her teammates.

"We pass!" – Naruto said calmly. Everyone eyed him in disbelief, and then turned their gaze to his teammates who seemed to agree.

"Are you serious? You're always the first one to be eager for more fun!" – TenTen stated surprised.

"Do you actually prefer the training?" – Neiji asked, a little too curious for his own taste.

"Who said anything about training?" – Neiji's and Kiba's team eyed Naruto strangely.

"We have other things scheduled."

"Big words dobe!" – Sasuke scowled.

"Why you!" – Naruto showed him another finger and decided to ignore him just this once.

"Other plans?" – Lee said.

"Such as?" – Kiba asked curious.

"You're not going to meet him again are you?" – Shikamaru asked, calling everyone's attention.

"Of course we are! I made a promise, and I always keep my promises. That's my ..."

"... Ninja way! We know, we know! How boring!" – Shikamaru said yawning.

"You wanna tag along?" – Naruto asked Ino's team, but the other teams were the ones who nodded.

"What are you doing today? Not the karaoke again right?" – Shikamaru asked taking the lead, much to Ino's annoyance.

"Of course not! I had my dose of that already!" – Naruto stated quickly, before Ino or Sakura got any ideas.

"Listen dobe! Whoever said we'd tag along! Just because you like to lose your time with that weird trio of brothers, doesn't mean we'll do the same." – Sasuke said calmly.

"What are you saying Sasuke-kun! You have to come! Besides they are fun!" – Sakura said with a smile. Sasuke sighed in defeat.

"If Sasuke-kun is going, we're going too!" – Ino said, glaring at Sakura. – "There's no way I'm going to leave that big-forehead alone with my Sasuke-kun." – Ino muttered under her breath.

"Ino pig!" – Sakura yelled again.

"How annoying!" – Shikamaru muttered, so that only Chouji could hear him.

"I don't get it!" – Kiba said, rubbing the back of his head.

"We're meeting Gaara, Kakuro and Temari." – Chouji said, while his stomach growled. – "I'm hungry! Let's get breakfast!"

"WHAT?!?" – finally the message sank and everyone seemed to agree that was the end of the world. 

"What what?" – Naruto asked with his hands behind his head.

"Did ... did ... did ..." – Kiba stamered.

Shino patted his teammate on the back. – "What he means is: Did he just say GAARA?" - Naruto nodded calmly.

A loud scream filled the hall. Naruto's and Ino's teams had to block their ears with their hands.

"ARE YOU NUTS?" – Kiba yelled.

"Why do you all ask the same question?" – Naruto asked bored. – "No I'm not nuts, and no I'm not kidding! I'm meeting Gaara, yes! So, do you wanna tag along?" 

-----------------------------------------Silence---------------------------------------

"Alright! He doesn't like companies very much anyway." – Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji started walking ahead, to have breakfast.

"Was he serious" – TenTen asked stupefied.

"Seems like it!" – Shino stated calmly.

"You know? I'm curious!" – they all turned to watch Hinata.

"About what Hinata?" – Kiba asked.

"Well ... maybe he changed! I don't think Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun would actually do this if he hadn't, right?" – they all thought about it for a minute.

"I need to see that for myself!" – Neiji said, trying to dissimulate his growing curiosity, but failing completely.

"I need to protect Sakura-chan. Even if that takes my life!" – They all stared at Lee strangely.

"Alright! Let's go!" – they all ran behind the others, too curious to even think.

.....................................

At the cafeteria:

"So you decided to come after all?" – Naruto asked as he ate his breakfast.

"Yes! I want to see it for myself!" – Neiji said without thinking.

"See what?" – Naruto asked.

"If that Gaara-guy is really changed? Or ... it would also be nice to see him reduce you into a pulp of blood!" – Neiji smirked.

"Neiji-kun! That's not nice!" – TenTen said.

"Sorry!" – Neiji said blushing.

"You're not the first one to say that!" – Sakura stated. – "Sasuke-kun said the same thing yesterday and he got very disappointed." – Neiji's face fell.

"I think you'll be disappointed if you expect to see some bloody show." – Chouji said, while filling his mouth with every kind of different food there was in the table. 

"Yeah! I don't think he kills anymore!" – Ino said calmly, but shivering from the simple thought of being squashed by the sand.

"But he does!" – Everyone stared at Naruto, wide-eyed. – "If the person is trying to kill him of course. Any of us would do the same, right?" – they sighed in relief.

Naruto ended his meal and got up. – "Shall we get going?" – everyone hurried finishing their meals and followed him out of the building.

"Where did you plan to meet today?" – Sakura asked the foxy boy, walking by her side.

"Ano?" – he thought of it for a moment and then scratched his head. – "We didn't!" – everyone fell off.

"What do you mean, you total jerk?" – Kiba yelled.

"Ne! Guess we'll have to find his house!" – Everyone sweatdropped.

"I can't believe my ears! By the way, why the hell did I decide to come along?" – Neiji asked to no one in particular. 

"Because you were curious!" – TenTen answered him.

"Right!" – he sighed. – "Keep reminding me of it TenTen, or I might kill a certain blonde shinobi because of his ultra stupidity!" – TenTen sweatdropped and patted her teammate's back.

"Relax! Breath in and out. Never forget to breath!" – Neiji nodded and tried to regain his composure.

"I know his house was somewhere around here, but I don't know exactly where!" – Naruto put a finger under his chin, as he looked around. – "I know1 Let's ask someone!" – and he ran off to the first person he saw.

"Why do I have the feeling that is not such a good idea?" – Sasuke said calmly. They all sweatdropped again when the first person Naruto asked for information, ran off yelling his head off, like he had just spoken to the devil himself.

But thick-headed Naruto didn't get the grip, and moved on to ask someone else. When he had already scared half the people that where walking around, he finally decided to come to the group to ask for suggestions. 

"I don't get it! Why does everyone have to run?" – Sakura hit him across the head, sending him flying to the next street.

"Maybe it's because you're asking them where's the house of the demon of this city, you complete moron!" – Sakura yelled out.

Naruto came running to her with teary eyes. - "I don't get it Sakura-chan!" – they sweatdropped even more.

"Just forget it!" – they all sighed.

"I have an idea!" – Hinata said eagerly. Blushing when everyone turend their attention to her.

She performed a seal with her hands and said: "Byakugan" – she searched around all the houses in the neighborhood. – "That one!" – she said aiming at a quite large house on the other side of the street.

"You're the best Hinata-chan!" – Naruto hugged her, making her blush even more.

"Baka!" – Shikamaru sighed.

"Let's go!" – Naruto ran off before anyone, and they followed right behind.

*Knock, knock* - "Gaara, open the door!" – Naruto yelled eagerly, while the others sweated with fear, behind him.

Suddenly the door flew open, knocking Naruto out, as the door came flying the wrong way, as Naruto would quote later on.

"Naruto-kun?" – it was Temari who opened the door, still wearing her night gown and a robe on top of it.

"ITTAI!" – Naruto got up with a jump, while holding his bleeding nose with his hands. – "What was that for?" – Temari laughed nervously.

"Sorry! Don't you know that in this country the doors open to the other side?" – she finally decided to take a look behind him. When she saw all those people, she blushed and pressed the robe hard against her skin. – "I'll be right back!" – and she closed the door on them.

"What the hell!" – Naruto fumed.

"She went to change, dobe!" – Sasuke smirked.

"Oi, Ino! Come and help me here!" – Ino turned around to face Shikamaru, who was leaning on a fainted Chouji on the ground.

"Too much for him to watch, I can tell." – Ino snickered.

"Hey! Hormones, it's the hormones!" – Ino gigled at her knocked out cold comrade, who had passed out after a very long nose bleed.

"Wha ...?" – Chouji started regaining his senses and got up with the help of Shikamaru. 

"Next time, try not to be so damn obvious, ok? You're lucky she didn't notice!" – Chouji blushed and used a handkerchief Ino gave him, to clean the blood from his nose.

"Almost looked like you were the one who took the door on the face, and not Naruto!" – Ino gigled again.

"It's not funny Ino!" – he finished right before the door opened again, to reveal Temari wearing some blue shorts and a loose white shirt.

"Sorry about that!" – she said nervously. – "But, come in, come in!" – she moved aside, letting them all in, some with a little reluctance. – "You three came too?" – she asked happily when she saw Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji.

"I wouldn't lose this for the world!" – Ino giggled, while Shikamaru put a hand over Chouji's blushing face and nose (^-^ *hint*).

"Yeah!" – Shikamaru said while passing by her. She closed the door behind them, as they were the last ones to enter.

"So, Naruto and company. Why are you here?" – she asked while inviting them to get a sit on the living room.

"Where's Gaara?" – Naruto asked looking around, while the others sat on the various couches around.

"I'm right here!" – they all looked at the door, where the boy stood, with a frown. He was wearing brown shorts and a loose red shirt without sleeves. – "What are all these people doing here?"

All the genins (except for Naruto's and Ino's team) got up in a flash, and were about to get out when Temari suddenly whacked her little brother across the head.

"Don't be rude to our guests!" – she yelled, startling them all.

"There's going to be blood!" – Lee muttered under his breath.

"What did you do that for? It hurts!" – they all stared at Gaara, who seemed angry, but not angry enough to kill.

"It's supposed to hurt! Now behave!" – Temari yelled, finishing the business.

"What are you looking at?" – Gaara glared at everyone, making them gulp hard.

"Don't glare at our guests!" – and once again she whacked him. (Sorry Gaara-kun! I just though that would so darn fun!)

"Stop it!" – Gaara glared at her, but soon gave up. Not wanting to end up with an even bigger headache.

Gaara pulled Naruto to a corner and started the interrogation. – "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Mmh?!?" – Gaara mused at his stupidity.

"Why did you have to bring all these people over?" 

"I just though it would be fun! Besides they were the ones that decided to tag along!"

"Why!"

"Curiosity I guess!"

"Darn you Naruto!" – Gaara turned around when he heard the front door open. Soon enough, Kankuro appeared at the door.

"What tha ....?" – Kankuro let the bag he had on his hand fall to the floor. – "What's going on in here?" – Temari approached him and picked up the bag full of bread he had just dropped.

"Kankuro, go get some more bread please!" – she asked kindly.

"Why?" 

"Because I say so!" – Kankuro left in a hurry.

"Chouji?" – Ino started.

"Yeah!" – he gulped.

"How did you fall for her? She's all bossy and stuff!" – Chouji eyed her in a mocking way.

"I know of someone who fell for worst!" – he was about to go on, but Shikimaru slapped his mouth. – "ITTAI!" – everyone looked over to Chouji, to see why he had yelled. Shikamaru sweatdropped.

"Don't worry! I just stepped on his foot!" – everyone looked back to whatever they had been looking at before.

"What did you do that for Shika? It hurts like hell!" – Chouji liked his lips, afraid his friend might've damaged something permanently.

"You were about to say too much!" – Shikamaru sighed.

"I was not!" – Chouji got up. – "Can I use the bathroom. I think I bite my tongue!" – he asked Temari that was on the kitchen.

"Over there, on the right!" – he nodded and went out without another word.

Meanwhile:

Gaara was glaring at everyone in the room, making them sweatdrop in horror.

"Well .... maybe we better go!" – Kiba started.

"Gaara-kun will you stop that please! You're scaring the hell out of them!" – Sakura asked.

"I still don't understand what are you all doing here!" – he said calmly, closing his eyes to suppress the urge to glare at them all again.

"Neither does any of us!" – Neiji said, trying to calm down. He might not show it on the outside, but inside he was all-too-eager to get out of there.

"Are you going to kill us!" – Hinata asked. Everyone stared at her.

Gaara opened his eyes and almost (note the almost) smiled at her. – "Not really!" – they all sighed in relief. – "Hey Naruto – dobe!" – Gaara emphases the word dobe, looking at Sasuke. Oh! He loved to do this.

Naruto turned over in a flash. - "WHAT?!? You dick!" – Naruto blinked a couple of times before laughing nervously. – "Ah! It's you Gaara! Sorry about the 'dick' stuff." – everyone sweatdropped. – "Hey! What was that about the dobe?" – he asked angry.

"Is that how you always answer Sasuke!" – Gaara asked, barely containing his laugh.

"Yeah! Have any problem with it? He is a dick anyway!" – Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and nodded to make his point clear.

"Hey! You better shut your mouth up, you piece of shit!" – Sasuke got up quickly and charged at Naruto.

Everyone sweatdropped and flinched everytime one took a blow from the other.

"What the hell is going on in here?" – Temari came from the kitchen, to find two shinobis fighting on her living room floor. – "You two stop it now!" – her tone of voice was quite scary and Naruto and Sasuke knew better than to piss the girl off.

"Sorry, Temari-chan!" – they bowed their heads off and sat back on the couch ... glaring at each other.

Temari got into the kitchen again and Gaara sighed. – "She's so bossy! It gets on my nerves!"

"Why don't you simply kill her?" – Everyone stared at Shino like if he was an alien. – "What? He would do that if it was any of us, right?"

"She's my sister! I'd never do anything to hurt her! Besides she was always the one person who cared at least a little for me." – they stared at him amazed. – "I just think she is annoying some times!" – Naruto clapped.

"I didn't knew you had it in you!" – Naruto laughed. Gaara glared and punched him on the nose.

"Shut up!" – Gaara blushed a little ... just a little.

"I'm back!" – they looked behind, to see Kankuro getting in once again. – "What are you all looking at?" – Actually they were amazed at the two big bags he had on his arms, all of them full of bread. Chouji's stomach started growling.

"Chouji you ate just an hour ago!" – Ino stated while massaging her tempers.

"But I'm so hungry!" – Ino and Shikamaru sweatdropped and sighed.

Kankuro went into the kitchen, coming out quite after, without anything as a bag in his hands. – "Now! Can you tell me why all these people are here?" Kankuro sat down on the couch, next to Gaara.

"They invited themselves in!" – Gaara sounded cold.

-----------------------------Silence------------------------------

"I see ..." – Kankuro sighed and rested his head back. God was he tired.

"Breakfast is ready!" – they heard Temari call from the kitchen. Before Shikamaru or Ino could grab him, Chouji ran inside, stomach growling

------------------------Major Sweatdrop---------------------------

"Chouji you big fat ............."

"Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp!" – Shikamaru started annoyed.

"Why do you always interrupt me with that Beep stuff?" – Ino asks, while strangling the boy.

"Maybe that's because you're about to say the taboo word." – But Ino didn't let go. – "Ino! Let go of me! You're ruining my shirt!"

"Who cares about your stupid shirt! Don't interrupt me when I'm yelling, you lazy ass." – and with that she ran inside the kitchen, to stop Chouji before he devoured everything in the kitchen. 

Shikamaru fell with his back on the floor, and seemed too lazy to even get up. He sighed heavily. – "Why do I have to keep up with this." – he asked to no one in particular.

"Maybe because you couldn't live without it!" – Gaara started, looking down at him. – "Or is it *HER*?" – Shikamaru blushed madly and got up before the others even knew it.

"What are you talking about?" – and he turned his back to the sand genin, very pissed and very blushed.

"Shikamaru is mad! That has got to be a miracle!" – Naruto stated calmly as they walked to the kitchen.

....................................................

In the kitchen:

"No Chouji!" – Ino yelled, while grabbing and pulling one of the chubby boy's arms. 

"Yeah! You ate a lot already!" – Shikamaru said calmly, while pulling his other arm with strength. Much to everyone's surprise.

"L-e-t g-o! I'm h-u-n-g-r-y!" – Chouji fought against his comrades. A table full of delicious things laid before his eyes and he couldn't even get a snack.

"N-O!" – his two teammates yelled together.

"Ino-chan, Shikamaru-kun! Leave him alone! I did ask for Kankuro to get more, so it's enough for everyone!" – Ino and Shikamaru lost concentration, letting loose of Chouji and both falling backwards, hitting their heads hard on the floor.

"ITTAI!" – they both yelled and rolled on the floor with pain.

"Temari-chan!" – everyone sweatdropped as they saw starry-eyed Chouji kneeling before Temari in an apron. – "You are my Godess! What can I ever do to repay you?" – they all fell anime-style.

Temari blushed and babbled something that sounded like "Never mind that! Eat everything you want!". Which he did without hesitation. Or would've, hadn't he noticed that the others weren't at the table yet.

"Come on everyone! Sit down! I wanna eat!" – they laughed nervously. Since when did Chouji wait for others to sit before he started eating.

"You're gonna pay for this Chouji-kun!" – Ino muttered under her breath, while massaging her head.

Shikamaru was muttering something about annoying Chouji and annoying Temari.

"Hey! What are you planning for today?" – Gaara asked between bites.

"Dunno!" – Naruto said, laying back on the chair.

"I'm up to anything that doesn't end, starts or has the word Karaoke in it!" – Kankuro, Shikamaru, Chouji, Sasuke and Naruto agreed.

"Karaoke?" – Kiba asked while giving Akamaru something to eat. – "You went to Karaoke?" – he continued.

"We all did!" – Kankuro said, sounding all but happy by the remembrance. The other boys blushed.

The remaining teams started shaking a little until they burst into a fit of laughter. The nine shinobis watched amazed as the remaining six cuddled on to their stomachs.

"Can't I break my vow of not killing unless extremely necessary?" – Gaara started very annoyed.

"I'm beginning to think I should let you ..." – Kankuro said nervously.

"ENOUGH!" – Temari yelled, startling everyone and managing to stop the laughter. – "Better!" – she said as everyone seemed to relax. – "Might I add that it was a well spent afternoon!" – she drank her juice.

"I can't disagree!" – Kankuro said bored.

"Relatively!" – Shikamaru yawned.

"I KNOW!" – they all jumped from their seats when Naruto got up and yelled. – "I just had a wonderful idea to what we should do today!" – everyone glared at him, but he seemed not to notice.

Naruto looked around the table and started counting. – "Darn! It's fifteen, I need at least one more!" – he seemed to be thinking for a while, before something beamed in his head. -"I know! I'll use Kage Bushin! Definetly!" – he nodded to himself, and the others watched amazed.

"What's on your mind dobe?" – Sasuke said, already getting angry.

"Don't call me that!" – Naruto yelled, before cleaning his throat and getting to business. – "We'll play football!"

----------------------------Mortal Silence------------------------------------

----------------------Humoungous Group Laugh--------------------------- (except for Gaara, Chouji and Shikamaru ... and of course Naruto)

"What's so funny!" – Naruto asked confused.

"Naruto are you nuts?" – Kiba asked.

"Why the hell would we want to play football?" – Neiji crossed his arms over his chest.

"Because it will be fun!" – Naruto pouted.

"Right!" – Neiji got up. – "I'm going to train." – he was about to leave when he saw the smirk in Naruto's lips. -–"What?"

"You didn't let me finish!" – the foxy boy said between his teeth.

"There's more?" – they all asked at the same time.

"Of course there's more! What would the fun be if there wasn't anything more?" – that got their attention. – "We're playing football, using our ninja techniques!"

----------------------------Mortal Silence------------------------------------

"What now? At least you'll be training the same way!" – Naruto yelled annoyed. If that didn't get their attention, nothing would.

"You have a point there!" – Kiba said.

"A football match – Ninja way?" – Neiji pondered. – "Sounds fun! Count me in!" – Everyone was like "Hugh?"

"Hell yeah!" – Naruto yelled enthusiastically.

"Why not!" – Kiba said as he saw his other teammates nod.

"Everyone's in?" – they all nodded. – "Then ... let the game begin!"

__

Muah! Eight pages! I'm in a good mood! I hope you enjoyed this chapter also. Please leave a comment! And if you can, please read my one-shots! Arigatou!

***


	7. Aphrodisiac

You now? I just noticed something rather interesting! I tend to start most of my chapters with a "YAMN!" from Naruto. I guess I picture him doing that a lot, although he is all energetic and stuff. I started at least three chapters that way and I'm sorry if it became boring. I'll try not to do it again. Now, enjoy the newest chapter!

WARNING: This chapter is really INSANE! It came out from my troubled mind. But I'm sure you'll have the opportunity to laugh your heads off while reading it. So be careful!

****

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 7: "Aphrodisiac"

"Let's go!" – the all-so-energetic Naruto yelled out to the sky. The other genins stared at him like if he was a freak.

"Go where exactly?" – Neiji asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Ara?" – was Naruto's response. He had no idea where they could do a football match.

"Dobe!" – Sasuke sighed and muttered under his breath.

They were all standing outside of Gaara's house, waiting for further instructions.

"Hey! There's that old abandoned field next to the village's borders. We could go there!" – Kankuro said, a little too excited.

"Yeah! No one ever goes there anymore!" – Temari agreed happily.

"Abandoned?" – Sakura asked.

"You're joking right?" – Ino asked, while her hand was around Shikamaru's arm, in a death grip. (I like torturing him! Poor Shika. You're one of my favorites characters!)

"Are you afraid?" – Gaara asked bored.

"Of course not!" – Ino yelled. – "Let's do it!" – everyone sweatdropped.

The sand trio of brothers led the way, and the others followed silently.

"Remind me again why I'm here TenTen!" – Neiji asked very annoyed, and still with arms crossed. 

His teammate smiled. – "Because you thought it would be fun!" – She watched closely as he walked with his eyes closed, deep in thoughts. She gazed at his hand, wanting to grab it but restraining herself from doing so. Although she had feelings for him ever since she could remember, she was almost sure they were not mutual. All he felt for her was friendship and nothing more. She sighed heavily. Why couldn't she be like Sakura and simply hang on to his arms, like if it was the most normal thing in the world. She was one of the strongest kunoichis around, but still she was so weak when it comes to love matters.

"TenTen!" – the sound of the other boy brought her back to reality. She looked up at him and saw concern in his white, and almost unreadable eyes. – "You alright? You seemed to space out for a moment and that is so not like you." – She gave him a small smile. He cared and she knew it. But to what extent was that care?

"I'm fine! Don't worry about it." – Neiji nodded and then, looking elsewhere he smirked. TenTen followed his gaze. Next to her was a very pissed of Lee, who seemed to be close to an explosion. Sakura seemed to be hanging on Sasuke again. And Lee didn't like it one bit.

TenTen smiled, and almost automatically her eyes searched for a blonde girl behind them. Ino was currently sucking the life out of Shikamaru, by the way she was squashing his left arm and all. Besides, she was chewing on his sleeve. Which provided quite the amazing sight. TenTen couldn't help but giggle. Quite after she was startled when she heard another small giggle next to her. She looked up surprised, to find Neiji's gaze on her.

"Poor Shikamaru!" – TenTen blushed. It was the first time in a while that she saw him smile so openly. And she couldn't help but give him her best smile ever.

"Yup! Ino sure seems to intend on killing him." – Neiji loooked once again behind them and then to his teammate once again.

"You think?" – TenTen was startled by his question. – "What I see is her trying to show her real feelings in the wrong way." – he smiled when he saw TenTen's surprised face once again. – "Ino is obsessed with Sasuke, just like most of the girls in Konoha. But deep down she's in love with someone else. Without knowing, she shows it on the most unlikely of ways. Which is kind'a stupid. Don't you think?" – TenTen couldn't help but smile when she saw the blush that crept across Neiji's face. He was acting so out of character.

"You seem different Neiji-kun!" – she said.

"Yeah, I guess!" – he paused for a while. – "I think I might be hanging out with these people a little to much. It's starting to get me! Their cheerfulness!" – another pause, and Neiji sighed. – "Don't you like the changes?" – that question surprised TenTen, who blushed and gazed down at her shoes.

"Well I liked Neiji-kun the way he was before but ... I don't think the changes made it worse!" – Neiji smiled again, despite himself. He tended to smile a lot when he was close to his teammate.

"You know TenTen ..." – he started, calling the kunoichis' attention to him. – "I ..." – she watched as a blush made his way to his cheeks. – "I ... Never mind!" – Neiji turned his head the other way and crossed his arms once again. TenTen sighed. «What was it that he wanted to tell me?» - she thought as they walked.

"INO!!!!" – Shikamaru yelled, startling everyone. They all stopped and turned their heads back to the InoShikaChou trio. 

Chouji didn't seem to notice the attentions were turned to them. He was to occupied with the snacks he had in hands. Ino was too busy squishing Shikamaru's arm, chewing on his sleeve and glaring at Sakura, to even notice anything. The only one aware of it, was currently turning green as Ino squashed his arm even harder.

"Ino pig, what the hell are you doing?" – Sakura asked, while still grabbing Sasuke's arm (Note that Sasuke had given up on trying to get her off, since she wouldn't anyway) – "You're killing Shikamaru once again!" – Sakura smirked, and finally Ino decided to snap out of it.

"Shika!" – she looked up at him. – "You seem rather ... green!" – everyone sweatdropped.

Temari inched closer to Chouji, who watching everything, not at all surprised. – "How can he keep up with that?" – she asked the chubby guy. Chouji choked on his food. Temari patted his back and when he raised his head, she noticed he was blushing.

"Sorry!" – she nodded. – "But, that's what love's all about, right?" – Temari nodded again. 

"So he is really in love with her!" – she told herself.

"Isn't it obvious?" – the girl smiled and nodded again.

"Oi, Shika!" – Ino shacked the boy a little. Apparently not knowing that it would only make him feel worst. – "Snap out of it you lazy-bum!" 

"Strange way of showing she cares!" – Neiji nodded his head at TenTen, who agreed.

"Stop it already!" – Everyone looked up at Gaara, who seemed a little too pissed. – "Can't you see you're only doing worst!" – Ino let go of her teammate, who fell with a *thud* on the floor.

"Oops!" – was what she said when she noticed she shouldn't had let him go like that.

"Women!" – Gaara muttered under his breath, while putting his head on his hands.

"Hinata, don't you have that liquid with you? It might help him out!" – Kiba said to his teammate.

"Yeah! I have it here!" – she searched her bag and found it quickly. Then she ran there and kneeled besides the passed-out Chunnin. She opened the bottle and placed it next to Shikamaru's nose, making him smell the strong scent.

"KYA!!!!" – Shikamaru got up in a flash, with his hands over his nose. – "What the hell was that!" – he yelled out in frustration. – "That smelled Ino's perfume! AMPLIFIED 10000 times!" – Everyone laughed at that.

"What are you saying! What's wrong with my perfume?" – Ino whacked him across the head. Shikamaru whined in annoyance.

"Stop it! My nose will start to bleed soon because of the extended torture he was placed upon. Who the hell made me smell that shit?" – he glared around, ready to kill.

"I ... It was me Shikamaru-kun!" – Hinata said blushing. – "Sorry!"

"Ah? Hinata?" – Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. – "It's alright then. I don't like to hit women!" – everyone sweatdropped. Shikamaru sniffed, still felling uncomfortable, like if the smell was still in there. – "This is so troublesome.

"Well, it worked at least!" – Kankuro said. – "Let's get going or we'll never make it before lunch-time!" – the others nodded and followed.

Naruto started walking backwards, getting away from his teammates, and approaching Kiba's team. Wearing a strange grin, he approached Hinata, who upon noticing his presence, blushed madly.

"Hinata-chan!" – Naruto singsong. – "What was that you used on Shikamaru?" – Hinata started playing with her fingers once again, and for the first time, Naruto seemed to really pay attention to her reactions.

Her hard blush, her nervousness around him, that thing she always did with her fingers only when he was around. – "You alright Hinata-chan?" – Kiba and Shino (although he didn't show it all that much), stared surprised at the boy. He had never cared before, so why now?.

"Y-Yeah! Everything's fine!" – Naruto grinned and put his hands behind his head, walking side by side with the black haired girl. – "What I used was the scent of a plant called the Yurubi. It's scent is known for being very strong. They say it can even wake the dead!" – Hinata smiled shyly.

"Really?" – Naruto seemed surprised for a while. – "Cool!" – Then his smile turned to a grin, and Kiba shock his head. Naruto was having yet another idea for a prank. And he was sure it got Yurubi's scent and Sasuke in it. After all ... it always did get Sasuke somewhere in the middle.

"Hey Hinata-chan! Do you think I can borrow that bottle from you! Just for a little! I'll be sure to return it quickly." – Naruto pleaded, rubbing his hands together, in front of his face.

Hinata blushed even more and nodded, handing him the bottle. Kiba, Shino and Hinata watched amused as Naruto sneaked out behind Sasuke and opened the bottle.

"Oh no!" – Hinata yelled when she saw Naruto get the bottle under Sasuke's nose, before he even noticed his presence. Hinata's eyes widened in horror, as Sasuke passed out right there and then.

"Ugh?" – Naruto said when Sasuke fell off. Sakura was currently yelling her head off, and everyone else had stopped to watch the show. Naruto saw Hinata approaching. – "What happened Hinata-chan? I thought it was only supposed to wake him up a little more!" – Hinata looked down at Sasuke, with a very troubled face.

"Uh!" – she started pacing right and left, front and back. Everyone was following her pace. – "This is bad! This is bad!" – she muttered under her breath.

"Ugh? What's wr ------" – Ino came running to her Sasuke's aid, stomping on Naruto's foot. Naruto threw the open bottle in the air and it fell all in his head.

When the young genin felt the smell reach his nose, he started felling dizzy, and soon enough he passed out. Everyone stared.

"What the hell!" – Neiji, TenTen and Chouji, who were the ones closest to Naruto, covered their noses, because of the strong scent.

"DON'T INHALE IT!" – Hinata yelled out, panicking like never before.

"It's a little bit too late for that now!" – Neiji said while getting away from the passed out boy.

"I'm felling dizzy!" – Neiji caught TenTen right before she hit the ground.

"Suddenly, I'm not all that hungry!" – Chouji looked up from his snacks, and then looked at Temari, a strange glint on his eyes.

"This is soooooooooooooo bad!" – Hinata yelled her head out, startling everyone.

"What's wrong?" – Kiba asked surprised. Never in his life had he seen Hinata act that way.

"That Yurubi! When used on a person who is not knocked out ... it ... as another effect. Oh1 This is so bad!" – everyone stared at her.

"What is it?" – Lee asked curious.

"The Yurubi is also used as a ... a ... a ... I can't say it!" – everyone watched as she blushed even more and buried her head on her hands. 

"I don't get it!" – Temari said. It was then that she noticed Chouji was next to her, and staring at her. But something about his gaze ... something was definitely different.

"You're the most beautiful girl I ever saw in my life, Temari-chan!" – Chouji stated, with eyes shining.

"Ugh! I don't have any food with me Chouji-kun!" – Temari was not liking the gaze in his eyes. Something about it was clearly wrong. 

"Who cares about food! Right know all I want to get is you ... sweet Temari-chan!" 

"UGH?!?" – Temari backed away. And then it finally hit her. – "IT'S AN APHRODISIAC!!!" – everyone was like "WHAT?!?"

Sasuke grunted and got up slowly. – "Sasuke-kun, you alright" – Sasuke massaged his tempers and then opened his eyes. Sakura felt uneasy when he gazed on her, and then when he held both her hands against his chest, she blushed madly. – "Sa-Sa ... Sasuke-kun!" – Sasuke leaned forward, his lips almost touching hers.

"Never before have I noticed how beautiful you were!" – Sakura blushed even more. – "Sakura-chan ... can I kiss you?"

"WHAT?!?" – Ino got up, trying to rip her hair off. – "Don't even think about it Sakura!" – but when she looked, the two genins had already locked lips. – "KYA!!!!!!!!" – Ino fainted, and was caught by Shikamaru before hitting her head on the ground.

"So it really works as an aphrodisiac, ugh?" – Kiba asked surprised.

"Y-Yeah! A very powerful one actually!" – Hinata said sorrowfully.

"And you carry that around like if it was nothing at all?" – Kankuro asked surprised.

"Ugh ... Sorry!" – she said timidly. 

"You might want to split those two appart before they decide to pass on to stage two, three or even four right here in the middle of the street." – Shino said, while evryone watched Sasuke and Sakura make out ... but I real mean make up ... on the ground.

"Grr! Who does the honors!" – Kiba said, and before they knew it ...

"Leaf spinning wind!" – Lee used his special techinque on Sasuke, who was too absorted in Sakura, to even dodge it. Sasuke went flying to the next wall. – "No one touches my Sakura-chan!" – they sweatdropped. Lee ran to Sakura and started shaking her. – "Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan! You alright?" – Lee made a pose. – "I'll protect you with my life. No one will ever hurt you my dear and beautiful Sakura-chan."

Everyone watched as a very flushed Sakura gazed up at the sky and sighed ... in a very passionate way. – "Sasuke-kun!" – she whispered. Lee fell back, defeated.

"Ok! That was weird!" – Kiba sighed and Akamaru barked.

"If you think that was weird, then check this out!" – Kiba looked up to see Chouji running after Temari who was currently trying her best to get away from a very 'excited' Chouji. Who for once in his life was more interested in a girl than in food. 

Temari came to a halt. – "Stop it Chouji-kun! You're under the effetc of a very powerful ... drug. You're not yourself right now! So no! I will not introduce you to the wonders of youth!" – (Eek! Am I really writing this down?) Chouji approached her, and hugged her. Temari flushed when his hands got around her waist, and his head buried in her chest.

"Temari-chan! Don't be mean to me!" – Chouji said in a very soft voice. 

Next thing you new, a column of sand separated the two and Chouji was sent flying in the air.

"Get away from my sister you perv!" – Gaara yelled. Fighting hard against the urge to kill the chubby genin.

Chouji rolled over and sat up on the ground, crying. Everyone stared. – "Temari-chan!" – and he cried some more.

"Ugh! I'm felling sorrry for him!" – Temari said calmly.

"Chouji-kun didn't inhale that much, so he is probably of no threat." – Hinata said nervously.

"Right!" – Temari ran to where Chouji was and kneeled besides him. – "Don't cry Chouji-kun! You're acting like a cry-baby!" – Chouji looked up at her and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I was actually crying because I hit my head on the wall and it hurts!" – Temari sweatdropped.

"So the idea of eating me is off your head already, right?" – he nodded. – "Good!" 

"Set here!" – Chouji asked her to seat next to him, and she agreed. Before she knew it, he already hugged her again, but this time not burying his face on her chest, much to her relief.

Gaara, on the other hand, was fighting very hard against his killing intent.

"Well ..." – Hinata started.

"Wait! If it depends on the doses you take ... what the hell will happen when Naruto wakes up?" – Shikamaru asked. And as if a cue, Naruto started to stir. Everyone stiffed.

"Ugh?" – Naruto rubbed his eyes and yawned. Then he felt something wet on his head and lifted a hand to touch the weird smelling liquid. He sniffed at it for a while, and decided it was definitely not a good smell. He got up and cleaned the dirt form his orange pants. Then he looked up, to see everyone staring at him, as if expecting something from him. – "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?" 

"Aren't you felling ... weird or something?" – Gaara asked.

"No! Actually I feel great! But God! It's hot in here don't you think?" – Mush to everyone's surprise, Naruto took off his orange jacket. – "Better, but not good yet!" – he was felling uneasily heated and he knew his cheeks were red. He raised his hands and touched his cheeks. «Yup! Definitely hot!» - "Does any of you have water? I'm feeling really thirsty." – they all said no, except for Hinata, who appeared to bring everything on with her. – "Arigatou Hinata-chan. You're my savior!" – Naruto walked up to her calmly, followed by the gaze of everyone.

Hinata took a bottle of water from her bag and handed it to Naruto, who was currently sweating very much. – "Naruto-kun, you don't seem very well." – Hinata raised a hand to touch his forehead, but he had no fever.

"Yeah! I don't feel all that well." – Everyone sighed relieved. Seemed like the aphrodisiac had no affect on Naruto.

Hinata was about to take her hand from Naruto's forehead, when he grabbed it gently, pressing it against his cheek. – "You're hand is cold and my skin is boiling! It feels good!" – Hinata blushed and Kiba growled. Seemed like they were wrong, it had made effect after all.

Naruto's gaze diverged from Hinata's face when he heard a noise. – "Sasuke?" – Naruto looked at his teammate, and could barely contain his laugh. The other boy was all beaten up. – "Muaahhh!" – everyone sighed again. After all, Naruto was immune to the aphrodisiac. Or else he would not have stopped just because of Sasuke.

"Shut up dobe! It's not funny!" – Sasuke growled. – "That was the most embarrassing moment of my life!" – Sasuke muttered under his breath.

"Seems like a punch works just fine!" – Lee added. – "When TenTen wakes up, and to prevent further embarrassing situations, we'd better beat her up!" – Everyone stared at him. – "Oops! Did I just say that! NO! No one hits TenTen!" – Lee panicked.

"You were the one to suggest it stupid!" – Kankuro sighed. Then everyone looked around. Normally, Neiji would've said something to annoy Lee, but there was no retort. When they found Neiji ... they gasped.

Neiji was standing above TenTen unconscious body, KISSING her.

"NEIJI, you mother-fucker! Get your hands off of her!" – Lee yelled with all his might. (Sorry about the bad language. I actually love Lee-kun and I know he would never say that!)

Neiji looked up, glaring at Lee. – "Shut up! I'm trying to wake her up!" – Neiji stated calmly.

"Kissing her?" – Lee emphases. Neiji looked at Lee, and then at TenTen, and then at Lee again.

"You're right? What the hell am I doing?" – Neiji got up in a flash, blushing madly, like he had never before. – "Argh! She's gonna hate me now! Please don't tell her Lee!" – everyone sweatdropped. It was of course, the effect of that love potion ... not to call it something else.

"Ah! Neiji is finally crawling at my feet! I knew this day would come eventually." – Lee gave a scary laugh, and everyone was like -_-()

"Shut up!" – seemed like Neiji had regained his senses, and he punched Lee's jaw, sending him into the air. Everyone clapped in joy. A crying Neiji was not something they enjoyed watching. They preferred the cold-hearted bastard.

TenTen finally woke up, seeing Neiji punch Lee. – "Neiji-kun!" – she got up and ran to him, grabbing his right arm. – "You're so strong Neiji-kun!" – Neiji blushed 

"TenTen ..." – Neiji and TenTen started leaning closer to one another.

"STOP!" – Lee came between the two, before their lips met.

"What are you doing Lee-baka?" – Neiji punched him again. When the thick-brows was out of the way, Neiji put his arms around TenTen's waist and started leaning forward again.

TenTen was blushing, but was actually very happy. She always dreamed of having her first kiss with Neiji, and here they were, leaning on to each other. She closed her eyes and saw him do the same. Yes! Finally the time had come. When her lips finally touched his, she remembers thinking that it felt weird. The taste was nothing like the way she had imagined it to be. Actually ... it tasted quite odd.

TenTen's and Neiji's eyes flew open and they both threw up when they noticed that what they had kissed was ... Gaara's sand. (MUAH!!!)

"Sorry but I'm tired of all this fluffiness!" – Gaara said, not at all disturbed. The others sweatdropped.

"Hey, wait a minute! I'm missing something here!" – they all looked over at Kibo, who was currently rubbing his chin. – "Sasuke was affected, and even Chouji, TenTen and Neiji were and they only smelled it a bit. So why the hell didn't it affect Naruto?" – they all nodded. It was definitely weird. – "Hey, Naruto ... GAH!" – when they turned around to speak with him, they found the boy and Hinata in a very heated make – out.

They all gaped. Eyes snapping out and mouth hanging open.

"I'm so tired of this!" – Gaara fumed and commanded his sand to separate yet another pair of shinobis, much to their complain.

When Naruto was partied from Hinata, his eyes flared red and he charged at Gaara. – "What do you think you're doing?" – Naruto yelled.

Gaara raised his hand, and slightly slapped Naruto. And that was enough to bring usual Naruto back. – "Ah! What?" – they all fell back anime-style. Seemed like the effect was not all that durable, much to their happiness.

After a couple of apologizes and few blushes more, they finally decided to continue their journey. Everything was normal now ... except for Chouji who was still hugging Temari ...

__

MUAH!!! I know this is insane and they seem way out of character. But the idea just popped up and I had to write it. Sorry if you didn't like it. It will get back to 'normal' on next chapter. Please review!

***


	8. The Weirdest team ever

__

Hello! I wanted to try to write something before Christmas. I'm really, really sorry about the last chapter. I must've been insane! Now, I'll rewrite it, so please try to ignore the things that happened on Chapter 7. I just had to write that down! 

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Naruto.

****

Bloddthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 7.1: "The weirdest team ever!"

Naruto started walking backwards, getting away from his teammates, and approaching Kiba's team. Wearing a strange grin, he approached Hinata, who upon noticing his presence, blushed madly.

"Hinata-chan!" – Naruto singsong. – "What was that you used on Shikamaru?" – Hinata started playing with her fingers once again, and for the first time, Naruto seemed to really pay attention to her reactions.

Her hard blush, her nervousness around him, that thing she always did with her fingers only when he was around. – "You alright Hinata-chan?" – Kiba and Shino (although he didn't show it all that much), stared surprised at the boy. He had never cared before, so why now?.

"Y-Yeah! Everything's fine!" – Naruto grinned and put his hands behind his head, walking side by side with the black haired girl. – "What I used was the scent of a plant called the Yurubi. It's scent is known for being very strong. They say it can even wake the dead!" – Hinata smiled shyly.

"Really?" – Naruto seemed surprised for a while. – "Cool!" – Then his smile turned to a grin, and Kiba shock his head. Naruto was having yet another idea for a prank. And he was sure it got Yurubi's scent and Sasuke in it. After all ... it always did get Sasuke somewhere in the middle.

"Hey Hinata-chan! Do you think I can borrow that bottle from you! Just for a little! I'll be sure to return it quickly." – Naruto pleaded, rubbing his hands together, in front of his face.

[This part (the above) is from Chapter 7, I'll just change it from here on.]

"What – What do you want it for Naruto-kun?" – Hinata asked shyly. Naruto grinned.

"To use it on Sasuke bastard of course!" – Kiba scowled and Shino shocked his head. Hinata gasped.

"You can't Naruto-kun!" – Naruto blinked at her.

"Why? It'll be fun!" – Naruto's grin grew wider.

"Well, if used on a person who is not knocked out, it can cause severe damages to the nostrils."

"Oh!" – Naruto's grin faded. – "Damn, and here I was, imagining the fun I'd have laughing at him." – Hinata frowned.

"I'm sorry!" – she said, sad for having to disappoint him.

"It's alright, Hinata-chan!" – Naruto patted her back lightly and grinned. – "I hate that bastard but I don't want to cause any permanent damages. Sakura-chan would never forgive me!" – Hinata giggled when Naruto grimaced at the thought of being spanked by Sakura.

"We're here!" – Temari shouted, coming to a halt. Everyone looked in front of her and gasped.

"WOW! This field is humongous!" – Sakura said with a smile. There was a hill, bellow them, with a very big field ready to be used. The big walls of the Hidden Sand Village were side by side with said field.

"Yup! Plenty of space for us to play and trains!" – Temari come again.

"If it's this big, why is it abandoned?" – Lee asked while inspecting the place.

"We don't know for sure. But it's said that, because it's too close to the borders of the village, it was many times a dangerous place. I heard many children died here while they played and stuff. Enemy shinobis would climb the walls and kill the children, without mercy. Soon it was decreeted as a very dangerous zone, and nowadays no one comes here." – Gaara stated, making everyone shiver when the word death was proclaimed.

"Cool!" – Naruto yelled. – "Maybe we'll get some action and all!" – everyone sweatdropped. He was never aware of danger. – "Let's go!" – Everyone watched as he went down the hill at full speed, leaving a trail of smoke and dirt behind him.

"Wait for us!" – Temari yelled, before running after him, giggling like a little girl. Gaara went next, followed by a very annoyed Kankuro, and all the other genins who did not want to stay behind.

"God! Naruto is so troublesome!" – Shikimaru stated annoyed. Ino pulled his jacket sleeve and dragged him down the hill, much to his dismay.

"You will not beat me, Sakura – big – forehead!" – Ino yelled while running at full speed, grabbing Shikamaru, who was pulling Chouji's scarf, consequently dragging him after them too.

"Shut up Ino-pig!" – and Sakura also stormed out, dragging a very annoyed Sasuke behind.

"I can't believe my eyes! Why do we have to hang out with these people?" – Neiji said, stupefied by the stupidity of the others.

"Sakura-chan!" – Neiji was almost sent face down on the floor when Lee passed by him at full speed.

"Hey stupid Lee!" – Neiji chased after his teammate, ready to kill. TenTen grabbed her head in despair, but ran after them anyway. «Neiji and Lee are becoming more and more like Naruto and Sasuke!» - she thought to herself.

"YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!" – Kiba and Akamaru ran at full speed, making it sound very fun to do so.

"Wait for us Kiba-kun!" – Shino and Hinata were the last ones to climb, and they didn't seem to be in a hurry as they walked very slowly down the hill. Hinata was only doing that because she didn't want to leave Shino behind, although Shino did say that she could leave him, but she would never do that.

Meanwhile Naruto ran at high speed, and reaching the field, he commanded his feet to stop, but it was too late *THUMP* - "ITTAI!" – everyone looked at him and shocked their heads in disbelief. He had just ran against a tree.

"He is so dumb!" – Gaara said to no one in particular. Kankuro nodded.

"Mou! Stupid tree!" – Naruto jumped up and started kicking the tree, much to everyone's annoyance.

"Stop it already Naruto! We're here to play, not to kick down the trees." – Temari yelled at him, as she came to a stop in the middle of the field. The others arrived soon after, except for Hinata and Shino who were still middle way down. – "Hurry up you two!" – Temari called out to the last two.

Hinata panicked and started walking faster, but looking back she saw that Shino had not. – "Shino-kun, come on!" – Shino sighed and started running after his teammate. In no time, they were next to the others.

"Sorry!" – Hinata panted when she made it to Kiba.

"It's alright! Now that everyone's here, let's get started!" – Temari said all – too - excited.

"There's only this one little problem!" – Lee said wisely.

"Which is?" – Temari was mad and Lee shivered from head to toe.

"We are fifteen!" – Lee stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh!" – Temari frowned. – "Damn! Naruto why didn't you think of it before, you total moron!" – she whacked Naruto across the head. – "With fifteen players one will have to stay out." – Naruto winced in pain and rubbed the back of his head.

"I KNOW THAT! Darn! Why don't you even let me speak!" – everyone was silent, waiting for his words. – "Well, it's quite simple ... and you say I'm stupid!" – Sakura, Ino and Temari launched at him, ready to kill.

"How dare you call us stupid!" – they said as they ripped away some of his hair.

"Get off of me you murderers!" – Naruto yelled. Everyone else sweatdropped.

After a few broken bones and many hair ripped off, the girls were satisfied and decided to leave poor beaten – up Naruto alone.

"Geez!" – Shikamaru sighed. – "Girls are so troublesome!" – he felt a hand on his ear, and next thing he knew. – "Au!" – he looked over to see who had just pulled his ear. – "Ino! Let go!"

"What did you just say about girl?" – Ino threatened.

"I said they are troublesome!" – Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest, to make his point clear. – "AU!" – but that only earned him another pull of ears.

"Don't get on my nerves Shika!" – Ino had fire in her eyes, and Shikamaru was obliged to obey.

When Naruto was recovered ... almost miraculously ... he then decided to continue with his explanation. – "Can I talk now, or are the girls gonna jump on me again?" – the girls didn't move. – "Phew! So as to the plan ... we'll simply use Bushin no Jutsu!" – Naruto stated simply. The others almost fell off.

"Well he was right! Why did no one have that brilliant idea before?" – Gaara asked, massaging his tempers.

"It's an ultrage that Naruto was the one to come up with such a simple idea!" – Sasuke stated annoyed.

"What was that?" – Sasuke and Naruto glared.

"Well, whose clone are we going to use?" – Kankuro asked while stretching his arms and legs.

"Mine!" – Naruto lifted his hands in the air.

"Why should we use your clones. Most likely you'll trip and make a point to your opponents team." – Neiji stated, and the others agreed.

"What? You pieces of shit, I was the one who had the idea!" – Naruto was very pissed.

"Well, he dows have a point. Naruto-kun is a master in Kage Bushin and he is probably the only on who enough stamina to endure all the match for both him and the clone." – Hinata pointed. The others had to agree to that.

"Hinata-chan!" – Naruto hugged her close, making her blush madly. – "You're the only one on my side. And the rest of you are scum!" – he said the last sentence, while aiming a finger at everyone else, while still hugging Hinata close.

"Whatever dobe!" – Sasuke crossed his arms and chest.

"Well, let him have his way!" – TenTen stated.

"I don't mind!" – Lee agreed, and the others too.

"Alright, let's make the rules!" – everyone waited for Temari's words. – "There are none!" – everyone fell off, anime style.

"I oppose!" – Sakura lifted a hand in the air. – "I believe it should be forbidden to kill or badly injure anyone. Also it should not be permitted to use sneaky tricks or any cursing. Also exclusion should not be tolerated. Such as for being from another genre, country or any other that may cause fights among the players." – Everyone stared at her. – "What? It's nothing big. It's all about respect." 

"She does have a way with words." – TenTen whispered to Neiji's ear. Although she didn't notice, that made him shiver.

"Y-Yeah!" – Neiji said. Breathing in relief when TenTen's lips moved away from near his ear.

"One more rule!" – Lee yelled eagerly. – "No squashing your opponents or teammates with sand!" – everyone sweatdropped, but nodded at the same time.

"I wasn't even thinking about the possibility!" – Gaara said, blushing a little.

"Now, let's decide the team captains!" – Kankuro added. – "How are we going to do it?" – everyone looked around. – "Well, let's do a run for it. The first two to reach the other side of the field, get to be the team captains." – they all agreed and got in stance. – "Ready? ... Go!" – they all ran across the field ... except for Shikamaru, Chouj, Hinata, Shino and Gaara.

"What's the whole point?" – Gaara said annoyed.

"Well, I don't want to be the captain anyway! It'd be too tiresome!" – Shikamaru said yawning. 

Chouji ate his snacks, Shino sighed and Hinata blushed.

"But, it will be fun, right? I mean, everyone will be spending time together!" – they all looked at her and smiled, and then they ran for it. Not that they would make it on time, but none wanted to be the last one to get there.

"I WON!" – Naruto yelled when he was the first one to finish. Everyone was stunned. They were betting that we would trip or something.

"Alright! Naruto and Lee are the captains. Now, you'll choose the team members." – Kankuro said, while still recovering his steady breath, along with everyone else. – "Naruto you first!"

"Ah! Why him! Shouldn't we throw a coin in the air or something!" – Lee pouted.

"He was the winner after all! Besides what's the difference?" – Kankuro stated matter – of – factly. – "Now everyone line up!" – they did as told. – "Who do you choose first?"

Naruto looked around and then grinned. – "Gaara!" – Gaara rooled his eyes and walked to him.

"Why did you choose me? I never played football in my life!" – Gaara muttered, so that only Naruto could hear.

"Neither did I!" – Gaara was stunned by Naruto's words, and decided not to tell anything else.

"Choose Lee!" – Kankuro ordered.

"I choose ... Neiji!" – Neiji walekd to his teammate and sulked. At least Lee was smart.

"Sasuke" – Naruto called, without hesitation.

"WHAT?" – Sasuke sulked and walked there. – "You dobe! Why do I have to stay on your team?" – Naruto growled at him.

"Shut up!" – Gaara had to keep the apart.

"TenTen!" – Lee called

"Shikamaru!" – everyone stared at Naruto. – "What?" – Shikamaru sighed and walked next to Naruto, Gaara and Sasuke.

"This will be so damn boring!" – he muttered under his breath.

"Sakura-chan!" – Sakura sweated. Why her, she wanted to stay in the same team as Sasuke.

"Chouji!" – Once again, Naruto startled everyone, including Chouji.

"Oh my God! This has got to be the worst team ever!" – Sasuke growled, while repressing the need of shooting kunais at Naruto.

"Kankuro!" – Lee said.

"Kiba!" – Naruto heard a bark. – "And Akamaru!"

"Shino!"

"Hinata!"

"Ino!"

"Temari!"

"Now what?" – Lee said annoyed. His team was missing a member.

Everyone watched as Naruto performed a seal with his hands. «Kage Bushin no Jutsu». Immediately another Naruto appeared from a ball of smoke.

"Great, how are we going to know the difference between real Naruto and 'clone'-Naruto?" – Ino asked annoyed. She wasn't on Sasuke's team either.

Naruto grinned. His clone joined hands to perform a different seal. «Sexy no Jutsu». Everyone watched amazed as in place of a Naruto was a Naruta (lol), but fully dressed this time.

"Better?" – the boys jaw dropped as they gazed over the femme – fatale form. Despite her being dressed, she still was stunning.

Sasuke almost fell for that trick, but regained is composure quickly, but blushing.

"Naruto!" – all the girls were ready to strangle him. – "How dare you make a sexier girl. Turn her into something ugly. We don't want Sasuke-kun to drool over some other girl ... who as a matter of fact isn't even real." – Ino yelled.

"I am not drooling!" – Sasuke yelled back. He frowned and glared when he saw the grin plastered on Naruto's lips.

"I'm doing no such thing! Sexy no Jutsu is my amazingly and most powerful technique. An average beauty will not make it. But of course she is not her fullest, because if she was, there would be no match. Now boys, please regain your senses and let's play." – the girls had no word on that, and they ere relieved when the boys came back to normal ... or what seemed closer to normal.

«My Sexy no Jutsu is the eight wonder of the world! No one can resist it!» - Naruto laughed while thinking this.

The game was about to begin!

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Niah! I'm done with this one! Next, I swear it's the beginning of the game. Please review!

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	9. The changes

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Hello again! Here I come with yet another chapter for this crazy fic of mine. I hope you like it and I wish you a wonderful New Year. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing at all, related to Naruto.

****

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 8: "The changes"

It was a little past ten when the two teams walked to different sides of the football field. Naruto's walked to the left, and Lee's to the right.

"First we have to decide who stays where. Who's going to stay at the defense?" – Lee asked enthusiastically. 

"Me!" – TenTen held a hand in the air and jumped, to make her point.

"Ok!" – Lee smiled. – "We need two more defenses." (Yeah I don't know much about football, but the thing is my dictionary doesn't have any of the words I need, so please try your best to understand what I'm saying. TenTen is at the Stake (at least that's what the stupid dictionary says, although I'm almost sure that's not the word I'm looking for))

No one lifted their hands, most wanted to be the attackers. Lee had to choose. – "Sakura-chan and ... Naruto/a or whatever your name is!" – Sakura and Naruta smiled and agreed. – "Next in line we have the centers. Who wants to do it, or do I have to choose?" – Lee saw he should be the one to choose. – "Alright! Shino and Kankuro. So Neiji, Ino and I are the attackers." – they all seemed to agree that was a nice choice. Ino was definitely good to attack. She was fierce and fast.

--- The other side of the field ---

"Let's select the positions!" – Naruto yelled happily. But, the others didn't seem all that happy, except maybe for Temari.

"What are you all moaning and complaining about? This is supposed to be a friendly match, so whether we loose or win, the important is that we all have a good time here. So CHEER UP!" – well that sure did have the desired effect. They all smiled and nodded, although they all thought they had a crappy team, but what did you expect when Naruto was the captain. - "Well, maybe we should let Naruto decide our positions. He chose us for the team, so maybe he has a plan." – They all looked over to Naruto, who rubbed the back of his head.

"I'd rather leave that task to Shikamaru." – Everyone sweatdropped.

"How troublesome! Why me?" – Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, as if he was deep in thoughts. Then after a long pause he finally spoke. – "Kiba ... and Akamaru to the Stake! Chouji and Gaara to defense! Hinata and I are the centers, and the remaining are the attackers!" – he said quickly and quite angrily.

"Seems good to me!" – Temari nodded. – "Kiba and Akamaru can both take a good defense. Gaara and Chouji seem rather suitable for it too. Shikamaru ... he is lazy so better not put him some place where he will have to work, and Hinata can actually make up for him and she always has Gaara and Chouji for protection. Sasuke, Naruto and I are surely the perfect ones for the attack. You're good at strategies Shikamaru!" – Temari smiled.

"If only he would make good use of it more often ..." – Chouji muttered.

"Chouji ... You were supposed to be my best friend! TRAITOR!" – Shikamaru said, completely pissed off. Seemed to him like Chouji was only jealous that Temari had praised him.

"I am!" – Chouji stated simply.

"Well ... is everyone okay with their assignments?" – Naruto asked and looked around. No one protested. – "Great!" – he rubbed his hands together and grinned widely. – "Let's show them what we're made off!" – Naruto raised a fist in the air, and much to his surprise, everyone cheered along with him ... except for Sasuke, who kept muttering about dobes and their childish acts.

(Now here comes the hard part. How the heck am I going to explain how the game goes. Please try to go slow and steady ... to try to understand what I meant to happen. And No! This will not be boring. After all ... it's played by ninjas! Arigatou for your patience!)

Naruto's team got in positions, as did Lee's.

"Who gets the ball first?" – Lee asked when he was face to face with Naruto.

"Throw a coin!" – Lee took a coin from his pocket. – "Choose Lee!" – Lee nodded and thanked.

"Face!" – Lee chose.

A bug clone from Shino, was the referee and he threw the coin in the air and it turned to be face. Thus the ball went to Lee's team first. The Shino-clone blew the whistle and the game began.

Neiji had the ball, and was immediately 'attacked' by Temari who tried to take the ball from him. He dodged and threw the ball at Lee. Lee caught it swiftly in his feet and with his amazing Taijutsu, he managed to dodge Naruto, who was cursing under his breath. Lee smirked as he made his way to a very annoyed Shikamaru, and easily got past him.

"Shikamaru you stupid ass! Give some use to those legs!" – Gaara yelled, and Lee made his way towards him. He smirked, as did Lee. – "You're not getting past me." – Gaara muttered under his breath.

Lee ran with the ball, as fast as he could towards Gaara. He could see the sand moving towards him and resting on the ground, thus slowing him down. Gaara was running towards him. Lee looked to his right and smirked. When Gaara was about to take the ball from him, Lee shot the ball to his right.

"What?" – Gaara yelled and looked over, to see a very fast and effective Ino take the ball, before Chouji could get to it. – "Damn!" – Gaara growled and ran after Ino, as did Chouji.

"TAKE THIS!" – Ino yelled as she lifted her right leg in the air and shot the ball with full strength. – "Ino's special kick!" – she yelled, sure enough that the ball would hit the net and score a goal. – "YE..." – when Ino was about to yell victory, she saw a very fast ball of fur intercept the ball, and another one, caught the ball before it flew away.

"Alright Akamaru!" – Kiba yelled when he caught the ball that Akamaru had amazingly stopped from hitting the net. – "Score a goal for us ... Sasuke!" – Kiba ran a little and then threw the ball in the air, in the direction of a smirking Sasuke.

"Hey! That's not fair! The dog shouldn't be alowed!" – Ino complained as she ran back to her former position on the field.

"Akamaru is a ninja tool!" – Kiba said and grinned. Ino wanted to punch him so hard. – "At least that's what everyone says ... but to me he is a lot more!" – Kiba patted Akamaru's head gently and then got into position.

"Good one Kiba!" – Chouji and Gaara greeted as they also ran back into stance. Hinata also smiled at him, and he grinned even more. 

Sasuke caught the ball with his left feet, while it was still in mid-air and he started running to the opposite side of the field, a grin playing in his lips. Lee and Ino were still on the other side of the field, but a rather pissed off, and somewhat happy Neiji came running to him, tying to dribble him.

"You wish!" – Sasuke muttered under his breath as he quickly jumped up, and threw the ball forward. Using his amazing Taijutsu, he managed to catch the ball a little farther, while Neiji stood, gasping and very ... very pissed off. 

"That bastard!" – Neiji ran after the Uchiha boy, and was soon caught up by Lee and a flaming Ino, who seemed more interested in jumping on Sasuke then on defending their side of the field.

Sasuke saw that Kankuro and Shino were the centrals, and he was thankful that Kankuro was the one on his side of the field. Somehow, Shino gave him the creeps. When Kankuro started running his way, he saw that he also brought along his puppet friend. The puppet launched at him, and Sasuke bowed down to avoid it. Ino wasn't so lucky and she took the puppet on her face, as she was right behind Sasuke. - "KYA!!!" – Sasuke smirked and took advantage of Kankuro's distraction, making past him at full speed, and still carrying the ball in his feet.

"Ah!" – Sasuke couldn't help but laugh, thinking no one could stop him now. He looked ahead and saw Sakura. – "Oh mama!" – he stopped and looked around. Seeing Temari he decided to throw the ball at her. – "TEMARI!" – Temari nodded and caught the ball. As Temari made her way to TenTen, Sasuke turned his gaze to Sakura and smiled, receiving one in return. There was no way in hell he was going to fight her just because he wanted to make a goal for his team. Next time he would come from the other side of the field. That way he wouldn't have to face Sakura.

"Alright!" – Temari caught the ball, barely avoiding Naruta from catching it. Naruta and Temari dribbled around, trying to get the ball. – "Damn you Naruto! Did you have to make such a good clone?" – Temari was starting to get frustrated, when she finally managed to regain control of the ball and ran off with it. She saw TenTen was the one on the way between her a point for her team. – "Get away TenTen! I don't wanna hurt you!" – Temari yelled as she prepared to quick the ball with all her strength.

"At least you improved on that!" – TenTen yelled, referring to what happened on the last exam, where Temari had showed her no mercy. – "But I'm no longer the girl you once knew." – TenTen watched as the ball came flying towards her at a fast speed. She smirked, jumping in the air and flipping around. With a yell she used her left leg to stop the ball and send it back to the middle of the field.

Temari was shocked. – "I used all my strength in that!" – Soon her surprised face was exchanged by a smile. – "Nice job there TenTen!" – and she ran off, back to her side of the field.

TenTen gave her a thumps up and blushed when Neiji and the others greeted her, before going after the ball.

The ball was supposed to reach Lee, who was exactly on the middle of the field. – "Way'ra go TenTen!" – Lee was smiling, but soon his form was shadowed by another. – "What th ..." – Before Lee knew it, Naruto had jumped in the air, and caught the ball while it was still a long way from the ground.

"Hell Yeah!" – Temari yelled when she saw Naruto landing like a cat on the floor, and then leaving at full speed towards TenTen.

"WHAT?" – before TenTen or any of the others could react, Naruto threw the ball in the air and made a Bicycle ride.

"EAT DIRT!" – his kick was so strong that none of the ninja even had time to watch the trajectory of the ball, as it made contact with the net, right before ripping it off and going for a fly. – "YES!" – Naruto jumped around in happiness, along with Temari, while the others were still O_O

"Naruto is the best. Naruto is the best." – Temari kept singing. Sasuke was still dumbfounded. Hinata and Chouji were jumping with happiness on the other side of the field. Shikimaru couldn't help but smirk and Kiba was jumping around along with Akamaru. Gaara was just looking wide-eyed at the kitsune-boy, before he also smiled.

"We scored! We scored!" – Naruto couldn't contain his happiness. Then he turned to his eternal rival and gave him the finger. – "Eat this! I scored before you did, and it was even my first game. Bet you can't do better than that!" – Everyone sweatdropped, but Sasuke smirked.

"Shut up dobe! You were just lucky!" – Sasuke teased.

"Nani?" – Naruto and Sasuke glared, and Temari had to separate them.

"Guys, we're trying to work as a team here!" – Sasuke and Naruto gave up, but there was a strange glint in their eyes. A glint that meant war.

"Let's move! We're going to get you guys back for this!" – Lee yelled. – "I'll score before you even notice I moved from the spot." – Neiji shocked his head. Lee would never change.

"You wish thick-brows! We're the ones who are going to score next ... and after that too and after the after that ..." – Naruto yelled as he, Sasuke and Temari ran to their positions in the field.

"Ready?" – Shino's clone asked and whistled.

Ino had the ball this time. – "Damn we can't do InoShikaCou formation anymore. It would be so darn cool." – she muttered under her breath. For the first time, wishing more that she was with her teammates rather than with Sasuke. – "Get away!" – she yelled as she swiftly dodged Temari. She then threw the ball to Lee, who threw it back at her when Sasuke came after him. She looked ahead and saw Shikamaru. A certain weird felling invaded her. She didn't want to fight with Shikamaru over some stupid ball. She looked around, hoping to be able to send the ball to someone, but Lee had Sasuke to worry about, and Neiji had Naruto. It was up to her. Maybe Shikamaru would be lazy and let her go without even trying to stop her. Yeah! He would probably do that.

"SHIKAMARU Don't you dare stay there without moving. Stop her!" – Ino heard Gaara shout.

"I don't need you telling me that!" – Shikamaru shouted back And believe it or not, Shikamaru actually ran to her and tried to take the ball from her. 

Ino was scared in a way. She had never seen Shikamaru with those eyes. What was it she saw in there. She smiled when she finally understood. He was happy. He enjoyed being there, play with he others. Despite his always boring looks, he was a very caring person and he also felt lonely. Actually when he said he wanted to be alone, it was the exact opposite. That was just a way to test people. If they really wanted to stay, it wasn't simply because he said no that they would turn back. Ino knew that was the reason why he liked Naruto so much. It was also the reason why he liked Chouji. They both didn't flinch or ran away when Shikamaru stated that they were tiresome and annoying. They always stayed. Just like she did.

She smiled widely. – "Having fun Shika-kun?" – Shikamaru shot her a small smile, and before she knew it. – "Gah!" – Shikamaru had taken the ball from under her feet and ran the other way. – "Shikamaru, I will never forgive you for this!" – she yelled in frustration. Mush to her amusement, Shikamaru turned back for a moment and Winked at her. – "... ugh ..." – Ino was far beyond surprised. Shikamaru never acted like this before. A little behind her, Chouji laughed hard as he stared at Ino's reddened face. Gaara couldn't help but do the same. He found Shikamaru rather amusing. 

Shikamaru ran across the field with the ball, but he was getting tired, and being the lazy ass he always was, he threw the ball at Sasuke, who caught it with much ease. Then Shikamaru ran back to his position, Finding that Ino was no longer there, but running after Sasuke. «As usual!» - he thought to himself. But to his surprise, Ino looked back for a moment and ... Threw him a kiss (what do you call those ... flying kisses ...) Gaara and Chouji hanged on to their stomachs as they saw a very disturbed and blushed Shikamaru froze on his spot.

Sasuke was off, with Lee following right behind. – "You're not going to score this time." – Sasuke smirked and ran faster, until he came face to face with Shino. His bugs started walking to him and Sasuke panicked. He didn't like bugs all that much. He performed a seal, and soon fire came from his mouth, burning and scaring the bugs.

"Shit! Don't burn them!" – Shino yelled in exasperation.

"Sorry!" – Sasuke said as he prepared to run with the ball again. But when he looked ... there was no ball. – "What on Earth?" – he looked up and saw Lee running happily ahead, with the ball at his feet. – "Just my luck!" – Sasuke cursed.

With his fast movements, Lee got past Hinata and Chouji, who tried but couldn't stop him. – "Here goes the first point to Lee's team!" – Lee kicked the ball hard, but Kiba managed somehow to block it.

"Wow!" – he yelled when the ball hit hard against his arm. It hurted like hell. He watched as the ball flew in the air and he ran to catch it, along with Akamaru.

"Ah!" – Ino smiled and jumped off to kick the ball to the net. When her feet was about to make contact, Kiba did it with his head, sending the ball further in the air. Ino and Kiba fell both on the floor, rapidly jumping up again. – "This time we score!" – Ino yelled as she finally kicked the ball.

The ball flew rapidly to the net, and there was no one to stop it this time. No Kiba and no Akamaru. – "Ye ...." – Ino almost slapped her face when a leg came in contact with the ball, stopping it from entering. And she gaped when she saw who it was. – "Shika you asshole." – she fell to the ground and ran to him, wanting to take the ball from him. But before she could, Shikamaru shot the ball up to the middle of the field. Ino almost fell off, then growled at her teammate. – "Shikamaru! You piece of shit!" – she growled.

"I love you too!" – he smirked and then ran back to his position, as Kiba gave him five.

Ino growled again and ran back to her side of the field. And whether she liked it or nor ... her cheeks had turned red when Shikamaru said the word 'love'. Somehow ... something had changed between them and although she wasn't sure what, it kinda made her happy.

The ball was caught by Kankuro who smirked and ran towards the 'enemy's' side of the field. Naruta was following right behind. 

As everyone was still startled by Shikamaru's defense, they failed to notice the rapid movements of Kankuro and the Sexy Naruta. When they finally noticed Kankuro, he had already passed by Chouji. Kiba moved to his right, as Kankuro prepared to kick the ball.

"Keep dreaming!" – Kiba yelled.

Kankuro smirked, and to everyone's surprise, instead of shooting the ball to the net, he changed the direction of the ball at the last moment, throwing it to Naruta who was on his left.

"Oh no!" – Naruta's foot made immediate contact with the ball and ...

"GOAL!" – Kankuro yelled when the ball hit the net. Much to everyone's surprise. But it wasn't long before Lee's team jumped with happiness.

"YES!" – Ino jumped into Sakura's arms and they both jumped around with happiness, along with the others.

"I can't believe it!" – Kiba said dumbfounded. – "Darn!" – he hit his fist on the ground.

"Don't worry about it Kiba! We'll get them back!" – Gaara smirked.

"Ah! I'm so proud of my clone. She's smart, energetic and above all ... too darn irresistible for any male except for me!" – Naruto snickered. Sasuke sweatdropped.

"Dobe!" – and they glared at each other ... as usual.

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Yeah, Yeah! I love Shika+Ino. Isn't it obvious? Well, I hope you all enjoy this little chapter. And I hope you all understood it. If not, I'm terribly sorry! Have the best New Year ever.

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	10. 6 7

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OH MY GOD! I can't believe I did that mistake again! Every time I want to mention soccer, I end up mentioning football. That's how we call it here. So sorry! I'm so stupid! Can someone shoot me? Please!

Here are my thanks for this week's reviews:

DocDragon, SilverNeo, Dark Nemesis 7, Chibi-Dragon, Kira-sama, Neko-Metallium, Kurokukase, WolfenMan and Jen. And especially thanks to the first four because they review all the time. Artigatou!

By the way, I'm Portuguese (Europe, next to Spain, because many people don't know where it is) and when I said I don't know football (soccer) I meant I don't like it very much, thus not knowing how it works very well. But I already played it when I was a kid. And I'm a girl people!

I finally got the word I wanted. GOALIES. It's the word I almost ripped half my hair for. TenTen and Kiba are the GOALIES. Yes! I'm done for today. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing at all. Naruto is Kishimoto's property ... and so many others which I do not know the names of. But it's definitely not mine. Even if my cosplay is of Tsunade .... Yeah I like that old hag. She's cool!

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Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 9: "6-7"

Shikamaru sighed hard, and massaged his tempers in annoyance. The others had scored, and he had gone through all that trouble for nothing. But despite himself, he smiled. Teasing Ino was so much fun.

"I can't believe it! They scored a goal!" – Temari was about to rip her hair off. And if it wasn't for Chouji who sweatdropped and stopped her, she would've actually done it.

"Calm down Temari-chan!" – Chouji said with his best voice, although he was also sad. – "Fair-play remember. Let the best win." – that seemed to calm her down and she nodded to him.

"You're right. So let's do our best!" – she smiled at him, receiving a smile in return.

"Is it me, or they're get along all-too-well?" – Gaara asked Hinata, who was currently by his side.

"Well ... Chouji is a nice guy ... and Temari-chan is very nice too ... so ..." – the white-eyed shinobi said shyly.

Gaara looked down at her and smiled. – "You're too nice Hinata. But that shyness of yours ... is somehow ... a bad thing. You should try to open up a little more. No one bites!" – Hinata looked up at him in surprise.

"Gaara-kun ..." –she muttered embarrassed.

"I'm not nice! So don't you think about it. I just fell good when people give good advises, so maybe you'll feel the same." – Hinata blushed and nodded. – "You know? Naruto is too clueless to notice it on his own! You should go straight to the point when it comes to him!" – he smiled even more when he saw Hinata's blush widen.

"Am I that obvious?" – she asked slightly.

"Yup! That's why I say he's clueless. Don't take him wrong! That's just him, and nothing will change that. So you just tell him straight out! I'm sure he won't hurt your feelings in any way!" – Hinata smiled and a sole tear came from her eyes.

"Thank you Gaara-kun!" 

Gaara patted her head gently, and looked up to watch as the blonde shinobi cursed and lectured his clone. Trying to tell her not to score, while Lee was yelling at him. Demanding that he let the clone play at his fullest.

Gaara's look diverted elsewhere, to a blonde kunoichi, namely Ino, who currently celebrating with Sakura. But what caught his attention was the blush that came to Ino's cheeks when she looked sideways to Shikamaru. Gaara smiled. Seemed like Neiji was right. She was after all, denying her own feelings. And Shikamaru seemed not to understand that, although his IQ was beyond 200.

Gaara was about to play matchmaker.

Hinata watched amused as Gaara's face changed, and she smiled. Her Byukugan did more that help her in battle. She could see what others thought and felt. – "Gaara-kun!" – she called, gaining his full attention. – "Let me help you with those two!" - Gaara was a little surprised, but he nodded and they exchanged smiles. Evil plan in mind.

-------

The whistle was heard once again. This time Sasuke had the ball and he once again ran forward, wanting more than anything to score a point. Neiji and Lee, as usual, were running after him. He smirked. «Never in this life will they catch me!» As he thought that, he looked forward and saw Ino, running straight to him. – "WAH!" – he yelled, and quickly shot the ball to Naruto. He bent down, trying to duck Ino's upcoming hug, but to his surprise ... it never came. He looked up surprised, just to find her running after Naruto. Sasuke sighed relieved. Ino was taking the game seriously, which was very good for him.

Naruto saw Shino right in front of him, and being the stuck-up guy he was, he assumed he didn't have anything to fear from the bug guy, so he just ran forward with the ball at his feet. Wrong move. Shino sent his bugs up to him, and when Naruto finally noticed them ...

"Aahhhhhhhh! Get these bugs off of me!" – he yelled like a maniac, while jumping around in panic.

Shino took his change and shot the ball to Ino and she ran with it to the adversaries side of the field.

"Bagga!" – Naruto yelled, finally managing to get the bugs off ... somehow.

Ino ran off, not having anyone to stop her, until she saw Shikamaru. – "Not this time!" – she muttered under her breath, and ran the other side, towards Hinata who started to panic.

Ino ran and ran and ran ... but when she looked, she saw that she wasn't even moving. – "What?" – she yelled in frustration when she noticed she was trapped in the "Shadow Copy no Jutsu". She looked up at Shikamaru and growled. – "Shika you little asshole!" – he just waved at her from the distance and smiled.

"Do it Chouji!" – Shikamaru yelled.

«Meat ball tank no jutsu» (I'm not sure that's the name of his technique.) – Chouji turned into a giant ball and rolled over to Ino.

"Chouji what are you doing?" – she panicked when she saw him coming her way.

Chouji changed direction at the last instant ad rolled over to the ball, then two balls went flying through the air.

Naruto whistled as he and the others watched both Chouji and the ball land near Kankuro, startling him to death. Chouji rolled over and 'stepped' on Kankuro's puppet, reducing him to dust, much to Kankuro's annoyance. Then he rolled more and led the ball with him. No one dared to get in the way.

"Holly shit!" – TenTen yelled when both the giant and the small ball rolled her way. – "Kya!" – she managed to jump off the way right on time not to be 'rolled over' by Chouji. Chouji and the ball both hit the net.

"GOAL!" – Shikamaru yelled in excitement.

TenTen was like o_o and then . –"Crap! Should've stayed there!" – she hit her fist on the ground and cursed. Then she saw a hand over her head.

"Only if you wished to die." – Neiji said with a smile. – "Come on! There was nothing you could do to stop him." – TenTen smiled and blushed, taking his hand and getting up from the ground.

Chouji, Temari and Naruto were jumping around in happiness for yet another goal for their team. Neiji laughed when Temari kissed Chouji's cheek and he blushed madly.

"Yeah! We score, we score!" – Shikamaru and Hinata both danced together, while Gaara just watched amused as Ino was dancing the same way that Shikamaru (Thanks to his technique. His shadow was still bound with hers.) Soon Gaara stared laughing along with Kiba, who seemed to be enjoying the show very much and even went next to Ino, dancing with her.

"Kiba you moron. Stop making fun of me!" – she yelled annoyed.

It was then that Shikamaru decided to check on her. He laughed hard when he saw Kiba making fun of her and he decided to play a little more so he started making some weird dances, forcing Ino to the same. By now, Gaara, Hinata and Kiba were rolling over with laughter.

"I hate you Nara Shikamaru!" – Ino yelled.

"You said so earlier!" – he continued making the funny movements.

"You're gonna pay for this Shika. Hear my words." – As soon as she said these words, the effect of his justsu was gone.

Ino's lips formed a grin and Shikamaru sweatdropped. – "Oh mama!" – he muttered, before running off at full speed. Ino right behind.

"Come back here SHIKAMARU!" – Gaara and the others laughed harder when Ino caught up with Shikamaru and pulling him to the ground started whacking him across the head, pulling his hair ... and ears ... and nose ... and everything she could her put hands on. – "Take this, and this, and this, and ...." – she kept yelling while torturing her teammate.

"INO!" – the yell could be heard from miles away.

Ino heard a whistle and finally understood that the game was about to begin. – "I'm going!" – she yelled as she got up and ran, leaving a very beaten up Shikamaru on the ground.

Shikamaru needed Chouji's and Hinata's help to get up and into position.

"Ready?" – Shino's clone asked and then whistled.

They played all day, not even stopping for lunch. They were having so much fun that those little things were forgotten. Naruto's team won for 7-6, and only because Shino signaled the end of the game when Neiji was about to score another goal.

The goals were made in the fallowing order: Naruto, Naruta, Chouji, Neiji, Ino, Lee, Sasuke, Naruto, Kankuro, Gaara, Temari, Lee and Sasuke.

By the end of the match they were all tired and decided to lay down on a grass field nearby.

"Men I'm dead!" – Naruto muttered when he laid down on his back, after making Naruta disappear.

"You could've left Naruta here." – Naruto glared to Kankuro who was having some naughty ideas about what to do with Naruta.

"Perv!" – Naruto yelled before laying down once again. – "All you ever think is Sex. Bunch of pervs you all are!" – Naruto closed his eyes.

"At least we don't fill our brain with thoughts of ramen ... only!" – Kankuro retorted and the other girls and boys laughed along.

Naruto jumped on and got up, glaring at Kankuro again. - "Hey, just because I love ramen doesn't mean that's all I ever think about!" – Kankuro nodded, but it was obvious that he was just making fun of him.

"Right!"

"I'm serious!" – Naruto yelled angered.

"N-Naruto-kun ... calm down!" – Hinata stammered out.

"I bet you don't even waist a minute of your time to think on girls and other stuffs of that sort." – Kankuro snickered.

"This is getting troublesome." – Shikamaru muttered under his breath. Chouji, Ino and Temari nodded in agreement.

"That is a lie! Of course I also look at girls and think about them and have dreams about them and ... Argh! Why am I having this stupid fight with you anyway?" – Naruto growled and sat down on the same spot, between Hinata and Sakura. – "Besides you talk so much and I bet you never even kissed a girl before!" – the other genins had to contain their laughter at that.

"Nani! I did too!" – Kankuro yelled, seating up.

"Did not!" – Naruto teased.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"DID TOO!" – Kankuro shot out.

"Who was it then?" – Naruto popped the question out, startling everyone. And now they were all looking eagerly at Kankuro.

Kankuro blushed. – "What is it to you?"

Naruto snickered and rubbed his nose. – "Alright. This is a pointless discussion anyway." – Kankuro sighed relieved and they all laid back on the grass, looking at the sky. – "Tsunade!"

"Ugh!" – all of them said at once.

"That cloud over there, looks just like old hag Tsunade!" – Naruto aimed a finger to one particular white cloud in the sky.

The others genins growled at his childishness. Shikamaru shock his head and Gaara just laughed. None did even look at said cloud.

None except Hinata, who blushed as usual. – "It does!" – she giggled cutely and Naruto looked over to her. – "It really looks just like the Fifth Hokage-sama!" – Naruto and her exchanged smiles. But that caught the attention of the other genins.

"She's right! Look, she's smiling!" – Sakura said excited.

"No she's not, big-forehead. She's frowning!" – Ino said with a smile while showing the cloud to Shikamaru.

"It's smiling In-pig!" – Sakura retorted.

"There's a boat!" – TenTen giggled while aiming a finger to another cloud.

"And a rabbit!" – Lee said. – "And it's jumping around too."

The others genins laughed and some called him idiot, but laughed never the less.

"Look, a big sandwich. Delicious and juicy!" – Temari said quickly. Chouji who had not once looked at the sky, opened his eyes wide.

"Where is it? Where is the delicious and juicy sandwich?" – Everyone burst out laughing with that and Chouji blushed hard when he noticed he had made a fool of himself.

"Look Chouji! It's over there." – Temari showed him a cloud that indeed looked like a big sandwich. Suddenly they heard a stomach growl. Chouji's stomach. They were once again invaded by laughter.

"I'm hungry!" – Choui said embarrassed. Temari patted his head.

"You'll have a good meal when we return to the city." – and she gave him a big smile, earning him an even wider blush.

"It's an OVNI!" – Naruto yelled when he saw another cloud.

"No dobe! It's you with a hat! And a very ugly hat. Not that the user looks better!" – everyone laughed again, but Naruto jumped over his rival, ready to kill.

"Why you ..." – Naruto stopped when Sakura squeaked and yelled.

"It's a kunai!"

"There's a Sakura tree shaped cloud over there." – Neiji said, much to everyone's surprise.

"Ne, It's so beautiful!" – TenTen muttered.

"It's just a cloud." – Sasuke said annoyed.

"Don't be so mean Sasuke-kun!" – Sakura tugged at his sleeve and urged him to look at it. Which he did with a light blush.

"Hey Naruto! There's your cloud again!" – Gaara laughed.

"What!" – Naruto looked up and saw a cloud that looked just like the one from the other day. – "Hugh what about it?" – Naruto pouted.

"Hey dobe! Looks just like you, after Sakura beats the crap outta 'ya!" – Shikamaru and Gaara laughed hard. Naruto was fuming.

"That was exactly what we said the other day but he kept on insisting it looked like a bowl of ramen." – Gaara said between laughs. Everyone laughed along.

"RAMEN!" – Naruto's face lit up at the mention of his favorite food. – "Let's go eat ramen!" – much to his surprise, everyone got up and cheered. Seemed like they were all very hungry.

The crew left the clearing and walked back to the city were they intended to eat at a random restaurant. One that served ... RAMEN!

__

I'm done! And I'm sorry about the sudden end of the match, but it would take too long to describe it all. Please forgive me. 

Don't forget to leave a review. Please!

***


	11. Girls, Ramen and more Girls!

__

Hello everyone! Thanks a bunch for your reviews. Please enjoy this new chapter.

Note: This chapter starts rather crazily, but it gets more serious by the end. It's just me being insane as usual! ^-^

****

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 10: "Girls, ramen and more girls. "

"NARUTO!" – Ino yelled as she run after the blonde shinobi, after he stepped hard on her feet.

"I didn't mean it!" – Naruto yelled back as he ran around in circles.

"I'll tell you what you meant. Come back here!" 

Shikamaru shocked his head in annoyance. – "At least she's not after my head ..." – he sighed hard and closed his eyes for a moment.

*BUMP* - Shikamaru fell to the ground.

"WHAT THE HELL?" – he yelled as he felt something heavy fall on top of him.

"Don't kill me!" – Naruto yelled as Ino was trying to rip him into little shreds.

"ENOUGH!!!" – Shikamaru yelled and everyone stared. – "Naruto get off! You're heavy." – when Naruto got off of him he stood and aimed a finger at Ino. – "Stop it now. I'm very hungry and I want to get to a restaurant before it gets dark." – before he knew it, a very pissed off Ino bitten his finger. – "ITTAI!!" – Shikamaru was jumping around with a red and big finger up.

"Stupid Shika!" – Ino muttered under her breath, but stopped chasing Naruto around.

"Are they ever going to change?" – TenTen asked, shocking her head in disbelief.

"I don't see any perspectives of that ever coming to be." – Neiji said with his arms crossed.

"Definitely!" - Lee agreed.

TenTen's eyes turned into hearts. – "It's the harshness of love!" – Neiji and Lee sweatdropped.

"Girls ..." – they both muttered under their breaths. 

"They're so pathetic sometimes ..." – Neiji muttered to Lee, and he agreed.

"What did you say?" – TenTen gritted, while pulling the boy's ears.

"Let go TenTen!" – Neiji yelled.

"That hurts TenTen." – Lee said, with his ear very red.

"Never say anything mean about girls. You HEAR ME?" – they both nodded vigorously.

TenTen let go of them and they breathed relieved, not even retorting as they knew girls could be very ... lethal when they wanted. 

"TenTen can be freaky sometimes ..." – Sakura muttered quietly to her teammates.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. - "All girls are!" – Naruto laughed at that and Sasuke grinned. But that was before they both took a fist on the face.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" – Sasuke and Naruto rubbed their faces and looked up at a very pissed off Sakura.

"S-Sakura-chan ..." – Naruto started.

"Don't you Sakura-chan me! Did you just say that I and every single girl in this planet have a bad temper?" – They both nodded, but when they saw Sakura get more angry, they hurried up shocking their heads. – "You better ..." – she turned her back on them and they sighed relieved.

When she was a few steps away from them, something seemed to hit her and she turned around quickly, startling both boys who thought she was back to kill them.

Then they saw the tears in her eyes, and soon she was running to them ... or ... to him.

"Sasuke-kun!!!" – Sasuke fell back on the ground when she jumped on him, crying her eyes out. – "I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you? Did I?" – she started checking his face, looking for any marks she may have caused. – "I'm SO sorry!" – and she cried some more.

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged looks and sighed.

"I leave that to you!" – Naruto said with a grin, leaving a very stressed Sasuke behind, hugging a very weepy Sakura in his arms.

"Bah! I'm hungry, why won't you hurry up?" – Chouji complained, not having any chips left to eat. – "My snacks are over." – Chouji's eyes filled with unshed tears and Temari patted his back softly.

"It'll be alright Chouji-kun. We're almost there." - Temari said with a smile, sweatdropping a little.

"Does everything you ever off think about involve food?" – Kankuro asked annoyed. His sister was being all-too-nice to the fatass. (Sorry Chouji-kun. I really think you're very cute!)

"No!" – Chouji stated, but then, trying to think about something else ... he couldn't remember anything at all.

"He also thinks about girls ... sometimes!" – Ino giggled at this, making Chouji blush.

"It would be weird if he didn't!" – Gaara and all the boys eyed Chouji suspiciously.

"What the heck are you all assuming? I'm straight you faggots! (Note that I have nothing against it, and I kinda like shounen-ai, just not Yaoi very much)" – Chouji shouted, glaring to all the boys, who glared back.

"Who are you calling a faggot?" – Neiji asked, preparing to use his gentle fist on a very chubby shinobi.

"You all started assuming I was, so why can't I assume you all are?" – Chouji barely had time to dodge Gaara's sand, when he was attacked by a very pissed of Sasuke. – "Meat-ball tank!" – Chouji turned into a giant ball and rolled over every boy there. Except for Shikamaru who didn't even bother to care for the conversation.

When all the boys were down, Chouji turned back and soon a growl was heard ... coming from his stomach. – "I'm hungry!" – they all sweatdropped.

Chouji saw the boys getting up. Sakura and Ino helping Sasuke. TenTen helping Neiji and Lee, Hinata having to help Naruto, Shino and Kiba, while Gaara and Kankuro had to get up on their own, because Temari seemed a little pissed. Although Chouji had no idea why.

"That's what you get for insulting others." – Temari yelled. – "Now behave. We need to get to a restaurant. I'm starving!" – she turned around and started walking ahead, with Chouji following right behind.

"Why was she pissed?" – Gaara asked surprised. 

"Because we called him a faggot!" – Kankuro rolled his eyes. Why would his sister fall for that chubby shinobi?

"MOVE!" – Temari yelled to them. Panicking, they all started walking after her ... silently.

-------After a silent walk to the center of the village--------

"RAMEN RESTAURANT!" – Chouji yelled, when he looked over Temari's shoulder and saw a very shiny and big plate with said words.

"WHERE?!?" – the others yelled, running to the entry of the restaurant.

"Welcome!" – they were startled when a very beautiful lady greeted them by the entry. – "Welcome to the 'Ramen Paradise'. Would you like a table for how many?" – said lady asked politely.

"Ramen paradise!" – Naruto muttered while drooling, imagining all kinds of ramen he would be able to taste inside this ... paradise called a restaurant.

"Fifteen, please!" – Temari said with a big smile, while mesmerizing at the interior of the restaurant.

"Of course, please fallow me!" – the lady opened the doors and led them in.

"Pst." – Sakura called out to Gaara. Much to his and Sasuke's amusement. – "Won't they recognize you Gaara-kun?" – Gaara frowned and nodded.

"Maybe I should go home!" – he was already leaving when Sakura smiled and grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving.

"Leave it to me!" – she winked at him, and Gaara couldn't help but blush. By now Sasuke was steaming like a mad train on the run.

Sakura got on her tiptoes and started combing Gaara's hair with her fingers, trying to hide his tattoo the best she could. – "There you go!" – she finished and smiled at him. – "Without tattoo and using clothes you usually don't will definitely do it. No one will suspect." – Gaara smiled widely at her and thanked her. – "Now, just to turn it into something more believable ..." – Sakura put her arm around his, surprising him. – "No one will even think that I would walk hand in hand with an assassin, and if someone does recognize you, then they'll have to believe you changed." – they laughed together and got in.

Leaving a very surprised, flushed and steamy Sasuke behind. For the first time he was missing Sakura constant harassing him. Damn was he jealous?

He stepped inside the restaurant with a frown, like usual, but inside he was boiling and planning a way to kill Gaara for stealing his nº1 fan-girl.

-------Inside the restaurant---------

The table was big and they had more than enough seats. Naruto sat on a corner, next was Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Lee, TenTen and Neiji. On the other side of the table were Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Temari and Kankuro.

When Gaara and Sakura entered the restaurant their jaw dropped to the floor ... as well as the ones of everyone else in the restaurant.

Despite all of Sakura's efforts, everyone recognized Gaara, but they were too busy looking at the leaf genin that was currently chatting happily with him, to even consider the fact that there was a 'demon' in the same restaurant as them.

"What the ...?" – Kankuro managed to say as his brother sat down next to him. Gaara simply smiled at him. 

Sakura sat next to Gaara, and it was then that the door opened to let Sasuke in ... looking rather pissed.

"I think he finally is missing you Sakura-chan." – Gaara muttered, so that only Sakura could hear, earning a blush from said girl.

Sasuke sat down next to Sakura and glared to everyone in front of him. And that included Neiji, TenTen and Lee.

"Let's ask for food!" – Naruto whined.

"Naruto?" – Gaara called to the blonde shinobi, smirking. – "Aren't you jealous that Sakura choose me over you?" – Kankuro chuckled and Sakura blushed, while Sasuke steamed a little more.

"Ugh? What're you talking about? Sakura-chan is just my friend ... besides I know better than to fight over something which I know I'll loose from the beginning." – Naruto grinned happily.

"REALLY?" – Hinata squeaked, surprising everyone. 

When she realized what she had just done, she blushed and sank down onto her chair.

The others laughed hard, but Naruto being the dense person he's always been, didn't understand anything and just stared openly at the girl.

"Common! Let's order the food!" – Temari yelled happily.

"Foof, food, food, food, food ..." – Chouji, Kiba, Ino and Akamaru started calling out for the food. It was a sight to watch.

"How troublesome ..." – Shikamaru muttered. Ino picked a spon and slapped it against his hand that was over the table. – "ITTAI!" – Shikamaru yelled for the fifth time that day.

"Call with us." – Ino said with a smile.

"Ugh?" – Shikamaru blushed and sighed, starting to call out for food also ... but lower than all the others. Soon a very beautiful girl, about their age came to take their orders.

"Have you chosen yet?" – she asked with a smile.

Temari looked behind and saw the owners of the restaurant, crawled in a corner, fearing for their lives, and for the life of their daughter, that was the girl that was currently talking to them. 

Temari sighed. Seemed like his brother would never have a normal life in this village.

"Hey are you a sand ninja?" – Gaara asked the girl, startling everyone at the table.

Unlike what they all thought, the girl actually smiled. – "Yes, but I'm still a genin." – she said embarrassed.

"Are you taking the chuunin selection exam the day after tomorrow?" – Gaara asked as politely as he could. He found her very brave, not having ran away like all the others would, knowing who he was.

"Yes! Actually I am." – Gaara nodded and then ordered.

"I want a bowl of Miso Ramen!" – Gaara said plainly.

"Me too!" Neiji, Sasuke, Ino and Shikamaru, Lee and TenTen said.

Hinata, Shino, Sakura, Temari, Kiba and Kankuro asked for another type. And Chouji and Naruto, simply asked for one bowl of each type they had. Making the girl giggle and the other genins sweatdrop.

After the girl took their orders, Kankuro spoke. – "Did you see that? She didn't even flinch when she talked to you, Gaara!" – the others nodded.

"Quite amusing!" – Sakura giggled.

"She probably didn't recognize me!" – Gaara stated calmly.

"Yeah, that could be it!" – Kankuro sighed frustrated.

"I don't think so!" – Temari said, startling everyone. – "She attended ninja academy with you and you didn't change all that much since then." 

"Ninja academy? I don't remember her?" – Gaara thought for a while but he couldn't recall her.

"Do you remember that little girl that was blind and everyone ran away from her?" – Temari asked and Gaara nodded. – "That's her?" – everyone was like "Ugh?"

"That's not possible! This girl that just attend us was not blind Temari, besides ... Well I never looked at her very much when I was at the ninja academy anyway." – Gaara thought better of it and decided that they were actually very much alike. 

"She is still blind Gaara! Didn't you see her eyes?" – Gaara nodded. – "Didn't you noticed something weird about them? Something out of normal?" – Temari sighed.

"Now that you mention it. They did seem lifeless." – Sakura quoted.

"Yeah, I saw it too." – Neiji said.

"But how can a blind girl be a ninja? And for God's sake, she's taking the Chunin selection exam, that can't be possible, right?" – Kankuro asked his sister.

"She was known for her amazing use of others senses, other than vision. That's why I'm sure she could recognize you." – Temari rubbed her chin. – "She once told me she could recognize people for their smell. A smell that didn't change with age or habits. A distinct mark such as finger-prints." 

"Who cares ..." – Gaara said. 

"I wonder ..." – Sakura started. – "Why didn't you two become friends? I mean she was alone and so were you, so why didn't you try to befriend her?" – everyone waited for Gaara's answer.

"I did!" – he answered, surprising them all. – "But when I was walking to her she said that I smelled like blood and I never tried again after that." – Gaara closed his eyes and massaged his tempers.

"Ugh? She said that when you asked if she wanted to be your friend?" – Ino asked.

"No! I hadn't even spoke. I was still a couple of feet away from her when she spoke. But I knew she was speaking to me." – Gaara sighed and the others nodded in understanding. 

"Stinky ..." – Naruto muttered with his eyes closed and his arms closed.

"You smell like grass today." – Gaara heard from behind him, and startled he jumped off his chair and landed on the floor.

Everyone on the restaurant looked his way (not that they were looking anywhere else.), fearing the worst for the girl.

"Jesus!" – Gaara yelled, while getting up quickly. – "You scared the shit out'a me!" – Everyone gaped when he simply sat back down, without as much as trying to kill the blind girl.

"The name is Lyia, in case you're wondering!" – the girl said with a smile, while putting the bowls down in front of all the genins. Gaara just glared at her.

"I thought I smelled like blood!" – he said plainly while she put a bowl of ramen in front of him.

"On that day you did. But today you smell like fresh grass." – Gaara and the others looked at her like if she was a ghost of some kind.

"Do you even know who I am?" – Gaara asked.

"Of course I do! But that doesn't mean I'll run off like a chicken does it?" – for a moment, Gaara could swear he saw challenge written all over her face. He smirked.

"How naive!" – Gaara muttered under his breath, and then started eating along with all the others.

They finished the meal rather quickly and were soon back in the streets.

"That was good!" – Naruto said, patting his stomach.

"It's time to get back to the hotel. We only have tomorrow before the exam." – Neiji said.

"I'm not even tired!" – Kiba said, and all the others agreed.

"But we have to go anyway!" – Neiji said once again. The others growled and sighed.

"Have a good night sleep Temari-chan, Kankuro-kun and Gaara-kun." – Sakura said with a smile.

"I don't sleep Sakura-chan." – Gaara stated.

"YOU DON'T!" – almost everyone yelled. Except for Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Neiji.

"No! If I do Shukaku (is that his name) will take over my body." – Sakura's eyes filled with tears.

"That's so sad!" – Sakura said, while the others sweatdropped.

"I can't imagine myself without my beauty sleep. That would just completely ruin my skin." – Ino panicked, making them sweatdrop even more.

"You already had to go on missions where you had no sleep at all!" – Shikamaru reminded her.

"But that was just once or twice. Now imagine me without having slept in my whole life?" – Ino gritted.

"I don't want to imagine that!" – Shikamaru sweatdropped at the thought of an even more threatening Ino. (Scary! ^-^)

"Hihihi!" – they heard a very low laugh, one that seemed quite scary. The owner of said laugh was none other than ... Naruto. – "I have an idea!" – he said, while laughing crazily.

"An idea? You dobe? Hell must've broken loose!" – Sasuke immediately gained a glare from Naruto.

"Shut up pretty-boy! You're history. Even Sakura prefers Gaara!" – At this remark, Sasuke flushed and steamed. Naruto laughed crazily.

"Stupid dobe!" – and the two started a fight right there and then. Sakura started counting the time and the others just watched amazed as shurikens and kunais and others of the sort went flying in evry direction.

------After a while------

"Five minutes! You're getting worse by the day boys." – Sakura said triumphally.

"I can still kick your ass!" – Naruto jumped over Sasuke, but was stopped by Gaara who grabbed him before he could.

"Stop that. It's dark already and you two make too much noise." – Naruto and Sasuke glared, but stopped trying to kill each other.

"Naruto what was the idea you had anyway?" – Sakura asked, trying to change the mood. Oh boy, would she regret doing that question later.

"Idea? Oh yeah!" – Naruto jumped over. – "You'll love this!" – they all waited patiently. – " Let's have a sleepover at Gaara's house!"

They were all like O_O. While Naruto grinned pathetically.

"NO WAY!" – Kankuro yelled. – "There is no way you'll go to our house for the night. N-O!!!!" – he created a cross with his arms, to make his point clear.

"It's stupid!" – Neiji said.

"It'll be bothersome!" – Shikamaru agreed.

"It's going to be .... AWSOME!!!!" – the girls all squeaked together, even TenTen and Hinata.

"Oh no!" – Kankuro and Shikamaru sighed, knowing that they had lost this one.

"You agree then?" – Naruto asked happilly.

"HELL YEAH!" – Sakura and Ino yelled. 

"You're so smart when you want to Naruto-kun!" – Temari yelled out.

"This is going to be the best sleepover ever!" – Ino yelled and the other girls cheered. The boys just sweatdropped. They were up for a veryyyyyyyyyy long night!

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It's over for today! Thanks for reading, and please leave a review. 

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	12. The night of love and broken hearts

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Ohayo everyone! Here I come with yet another chapter for this fic. I hope you enjoy it, and by the way, Thank you all very much for all the reviews. You people are amazing!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all related to Naruto.

****

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 11: "The night of love and broken hearts!" 

"I still disagree with this!" – Kankuro growled. His sister and the other girls were chatting happily, leading them to his house. The girls were planning on what to do during the whole night they had ahead of them.

"This is going to get annoying and troublesome at the same time. What can be worse?" – Shikamaru sighed.

"You getting beaten up by that pack of mad girls! Because that's what's gonna happen if you try to say no." – Gaara answered, making all the boys shiver with fear of what might happen to them.

"I have a very bad feeling about tonight!" – Sasuke muttered, but the others heard.

"You're not the only one!" – Neiji shivered again. His sixth sense was yelling. Warning him to get away and fast. But if he did that, TenTen would have his head.

"We're here!" – Temari yelled when they arrived to the familiar house.

Temari took the keys from her pocket and opened the door. The girls ran inside and the boys sighed heavily, following them inside.

When the boys reached the living room, they saw the girls running around in a frenzy, moving the furniture close to the walls, thus leaving a big empty space in the middle of the room.

"What are you doing?" – Kankuro asked stupefied.

"What does it look like? We're laving room for us to sit on the floor." – Temari explained

"Ugh!" – the boys gaped. What were the girls planning to do tonight.

"What are the plans for tonight anyway?" – Lee asked calmly.

"First, let's play 'Spin the bottle'." – TenTen said with a smile.

"NO! Truth or dare!" – Sakura and Ino yelled back.

"Spin the bottle!" – TenTen and Temari yelled also.

"Truth or dare!" – the other two glared, and Hinata sweatdropped. Which side should she choose.

"Why don't we play both at the same time?" – Hinata asked, just as an attempt to stop the discussion.

"How?" – the four girls asked.

"You spin the bottle, then it aims at someone, then you ask 'Truth or dare' and so on!" – The girls smiled.

"You're so smart, Hinata!" – they grabbed the smaller girls and hugged her tenderly.

"'Spin the truth or dare bottle'-game is about to begin!" – Ino yelled, the boys sweatdropped.

"'Spin the truth or dare bottle'-game? Couldn't they give it a shorter name or something?" – Sasuke muttered. The other boys agreed.

"How do you play that?" – Naruto asked them. They looked at him like this O_O

"You never played 'Truth or dare' or 'Spin the bottle' before?" – Lee asked and Naruto nodded.

"I don't know what it is either!" – Gaara said.

"Me too." – Chouji agreed.

"I never played, but I know what it is all about! And it's troublesome!" – Shikamaru said, making the others sweatdrop. Everything was troublesome for him.

"Ok, I'll explain this 'Spin the truth or dare bottle'-game' to you." – Lee started, and the boys heard him eagerly. – "We all sit in a circle, then there is a bottle in the middle. One of us spins the bottle and it will eventually stop. The person to whom it is aiming is the person we ask 'Truth or dare'. If the person chooses Truth, we make a questions to whish the answer has to be or yes or no. If the answer is no then the person has to do a 'dare' or consequence. She'll also have to do it if she chooses 'dare' instead of truth. The 'dare' can be anything you want and the person can't deny it or she's out of the game." – Lee finished. – "Did you get it?" 

"Yes!" – Gaara and Chouji nodded.

"NO!" – Naruto yelled.

"Dobe!" – Sasuke muttered and the others agreed. Naruto was dumb! (Sorry Naruto-kun! ^-^)

"Come on. Explain again!" – Naruto begged Lee, who just shock his head.

"Naruto, what is in the place where your brain should be? Warms?" – Naruto pouted and gave up.

"Go to hell all of you. I'll get this game in a sec." – the others almost laughed, but they were interrupted by Temari yelling for them and ordering them to sit down.

When they were already sat, the order was the fallowing: Gaara, Hinata, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Lee, TenTen, Neiji, Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Temari, Shino, Kiba and lastly Kankuro (which means he was next to Gaara).

The bottle was laid in front of them. – "Well, let's start!" – Temari said, spinning the bottle.

"Why are you the first?" – Kankuro asked annoyed.

"Because I say so!" – Temari threatened.

"Ok, ok!" – Kankuro sighed.

The bottle stopped, aiming to Shikamaru, who flinched. – "Shikamaru, truth or dare!" – Temari asked sweetly.

"Seeing as I don't want to die ... truth!" – Shikamaru said with his eyes closed.

"Are you always that lazy?" – Temari asked with a smirk. The other girls giggled.

"Yes! Don't see any reason not to be." – Shikamaru said simply.

"Then who are you going to ask to 'DO' your wife on your honey moon?" – Shikamaru's eyes widened and the others laughed hard.

"That is so NOT funny!" – Shikamaru said embarrassed. 

After a couple of minutes, the laugh diminished and they were able to continue. – "Come on Shino. It's your turn." – Temari said. 

Shino did as said and the bottle spinned an spinned and spinned and finally came to a stop, in front of TenTen. – "Truth or dare, TenTen-san" – Shino asked casually.

TenTen though that truth could be tricky and so she chose – "Dare!" – Shino nodded.

Shino turned his head to Temari and asked. - "Can we give any dare at all? Are there no restrictions?" – Temari thought for a while.

"You can't ask people to get completely naked, nor go too far away. Stick to the simple, clean and embarrassing!" – Temari giggled and TenTen sweatdropped. She was starting to regret having chosen dare.

"TenTen-san ... I dare you ..." – Shino seemed to think a bit, and then suddenly a light came on. A smirk playing on his lips. – "... transform into the 5th Hokage and dance the hulla-hulla in front of us." – The others started laughing just thinking of it.

TenTen blushed but got up. The others watched her, as she got to the center of the circle and performed a seal with her hands. «Henge no jutsu» (I'm not sure if that's the name). Smoke encircled her, and soon a very tropical 5th Hokage aka Tsunade was in front of them, wearing nothing but some of those hulla-hulla clothing. But ... the Hokage was blushing.

"I need music!" – as soon as she said that, Kiba started whistling and Akamaru barking, making a somewhat kinda music that she could dance.

TenTen soon started dancing, moving her hips to the sound of the music. To keep the embarrassment she closed her eyes, and was guided only by the sound.

Soon, the boys were almost drooling at her, while the girls were trying to snap them out of it. But the worse, the worse was Neiji.

Lee had a wide grin on his face, looking over at his rival and teammate, drooling over TenTen. Suddenly Lee saw Neiji slapping himself, muttering something like «Stupid, stupid! That's TenTen, TenTen! She's your teammate, teammate!». He looked crazy and Lee laughed hard. He was going to get his two teammates together. And it was going to be tonight.

Naruto was laughing his head off, because all he could think was getting back to the village and tell the real Tsunade about this. The old hag would be so pissed!.

Much too soon, the music was over, Kiba's throat raw, from whistling and drooling too ^-^. TenTen sighed relieved and turned back into herself, before seating down, blushing madly.

"You were great TenTen-chan!" – Lee greeted her. She smiled and nodded.

"That was a great show. Now, Kiba it's your turn!" – Temari called again.

"Yeah!" – Kiba spined the bottle quickly. After a while it stopped, aiming to Sakura. Kiba grinned. – "Truth or dare Sakura-chan?" 

«I don't know which one can be worse. Kiba has something up his sleeve.» - Sakura was reluctant but ... – "Truth." 

"Damn! I had such a good dare!" – Kiba cursed. – "Well, it's okay then. Is it true that you swing the other way, and are only after Sasuke because you want to make Ino jealous?" – everyone was like O_O

"EWWWWWW! NOOOOOOO!" – Sakura got up and yelled as high as she could. – "I'm straight, STRAIGHT!" – Sakura almost ripped her own hair.

"Ok, ok! I believe you. I was just making sure of it!" – Kiba smiled, almost not containing his laughter.

Sasuke breathed relieved. Kiba had scared the hell outta him. For a moment there, he actually considered the option. «Ino+Sakura. Ew! That is so wrong!»

"Kankuro!" – Temari called.

"I know, I know!" – Kankuro spined the bottle, and it soon stopped. When it did, everyone sweatdropped. The bottle was aiming to ... Kankuro itself.

Everyone laughed hard and Kankuro soon joined. – "Myself, do you choose truth or dare?" – Kankuro then changed his voice. – "I choose dare myself!" – changed again. – "Then I dare you to spin the bottle and get someone else rather than myself!" – everyone laughed even more.

Kankuro spined the bottle once again. This time it marked Lee. – "Truth or dare?"

"Truth!" – Lee said without hesitation.

"Are you and Gai, like gay or something!" – Neiji and TenTen laughed hard.

"HELL NO! That's simply the love of a student towards his amazing sensei, and vice-versa. There is no such thing as GAY in my list ... only Gai-sensei!" – the others laughed when he made all those weird poses.

"Gaara!" – Temari called, and without a word, Gaara spined the bottle. 

It stopped in front of Shikamaru. They both looked at each other and Shikamaru knew Gaara had something in mind. – "Truth or dare?"

"Dare!" – everyone gaped. Shikamaru was actually up to do something other then complain.

Gaara grinned. – "I dare you to not complain anymore for the rest of the night!" – Gaara smiled, the others growled, thinking it was too easy, but Shikamaru flinched.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" – Shikamaru pouted.

"Don't forget! No complains." – Gaara smiled even more, before watching the bottle spin, by Hinata's hand. He and said girl exchanged glances and Hinata nodded. The bottle hit on Ino.

"Ino-chan ... truth or dare?" – Hinata asked shyly.

"Tr ..." – Ino was about to say truth, but something was warning her otherwise, so she decided to stick with her intuition. – "Dare!" – Hinata and Gaara cursed. And Ino noticed.

"I dare you to ..." – Hinata thought for a bit. She didn't want to put Ino into any complicated stuff. – "... kiss Shikamaru-kun ..." – everyone was surprised with Hinata. Where was the shy girl?

"Sure!" – Ino answered, surprising them even more, especially Shikamaru. She leaned closer, and closer ... and kissed him ... on the face (Muah!!!!!!!!). – "There 'ya go!" – Ino said triumphally.

"I meant on the lips!" – Hinata almost yelled.

"You said nothing about it. My dare is over!" – Ino smiled.

"NO!" – Gaara and Hinata yelled together. They had lost a perfectly good chance.

Shikamaru was still blushing madly.

"My turn, my turn!" – Naruto said eagerly, spinning the bottle with all his strength. The bottle stopped in front of Shino. – "Truth or dare?" – Naruto asked eagerly.

"Truth!" – Shino said plainly.

Naruto seemed to think for a while before asking. – "Do the bugs sleep with you?"

"Yes!" – everyone was like «EEEEEEEWWWWWWWW».

After recovering, Sakura made the bottle spin. It stopped in Neiji. – "Truth or dare?" – she asked happily. She had just the perfect dare. «Make him choose dare.»

"Dare!" – he answered promptly.

"YES!" – Sakura yelled. – "You're gonna regret your choice Neiji-kun!" – Neiji blushed but kept a straight face. He had a bad feeling about this. – "I dare you to transform into Kakashi-sensei and read us a part of his book: "ICHA ICHA PARADISE!" – Sakura laughed maniacally. Sasuke and Naruto sweatdropped and the others were eager to know what exactly was inside the damn book.

"N-O! NNNNNNNNOOOOOOO!" – Neiji yelled getting up. – "I'll do no such thing!" – Neiji was blushing madly and cursing.

"Yes you will, you chose dare, now do as I told you!" – Sakura yelled back.

"I can't! I don't know what the book says!" – Neiji lied.

Sakura grinned. – "Yes you do! I heard you say that you used Byukugan to see. Now do the dare!" – Neiji blushed even more, as did Hinata, realizing that she hadn't been the only one to make it.

Neiji cursed some more, before performing a seal that transformed him into Kakashi.

"What is it about this 'Icha Icha Paradise'" – Temari asked Chouji.

"I don't know either!" – Chouji answered truthfully.

Neiji, or Kakashi, took said book from inside his pocket and coughed. – "Are you sure you want me to read this?" – Neiji asked, blushing madly.

"Go ahead! Kakashi-sensei already read us a part of it. Besides it'll be too darn funny to see the faces of everyone when they start hearing this." – Sakura giggle and blushed, along with Sasuke and Naruto that decided they'd rather be inside a snake's stomach than there.

Neiji blushed even more, if possible, and started reading. – "The beautiful Ikibi-chan had eyes as blue as the sky, the softness of her hair only comparable to the sweet taste of her lips ..."

«Seems quite normal to me!» - TenTen thought.

«What was all the fuss about? It's just a romance!» - Ino cursed on mind.

«Bummer! Here I was expecting to hear a porn!» - Kankuro thought to himself.

Neiji continued. - "... but what I remember most dearly, above all other things is the ... the ..." – Neiji stopped for a while and then yelled. – "I WON'T READ THIS!!!"

Sakura got up and pushed a kunai to his throat. – "Read or die!" (reminds me of the Anime ^-^). Neiji gulped and nodded. Sakura sat back down.

"I don't care if they all get too shocked to even speak!" – Neiji muttered before restart reading said book. – "... above all other things is the ... the touch of her skin. The feel of her breast against my chest when we made love. Wild love ... driven by instinct above all else. ... the way my ..." – Neiji stopped and arched a brow, blushing even more.

"Gah, Gah, Gah!" – Ino wanted to say something, but the words didn't come out and she fainted. Chouji had stopped eating, and was currently blushing madly, along with all the other persons there. Shikamaru was shocking his head, muttering something about I told you so!. Kiba, Shino, Gaara, Kakuro, Lee and TenTen were too shocked to say anything. Hinata had her head between her hands, trying not to look at anyone.

Temari was the only one who managed to chock something out. – "Gah ... How? HOW CAN A SENSEI CARRY THAT AROUND?" – she yelled from the top of her lungs.

"It was worse when he decided to read us a bit of it!" – Sasuke said, blushing. Sakura and Naruto agreed.

"It's you fault. You all wanted to know what was inside the book. Neiji gave you only a glimpse. It gets a lot worse and nasty ..." – the three teammates shivered at the thought of what Kakashi had once read to them as a joke. They were still fourteen when he decided they should know the real meaning of "Harem (no justu ^-^)", by reading them a part of Jiraya's book.

"It's okay Neiji, you can put the dirty book down now!" – Neiji sighed and turned back to himself.

"That was the most embarrassing moment of my life!" – he muttered, seating down next to a very blushing TenTen. – "Sorry TenTen-chan, but I warned you." – TenTen nodded. – "Thank the gods that I wasn't forced to read the details ... it gets pretty ..." – Neiji didn't even have a word for that.

------After a few minute, recovering from the shock-----

Sasuke made the bottle spin, it landed on Temari. He didn't even need to ask, she simply answered. – "Dare!" – Sasuke nodded.

"I dare you to ..." – for the first time, a smile appeared on his lips. Not a grin, but a smile. – "... Kiss another girl on the lips!"

"WHAT?" – Temari yelled, blushing madly.

"I give you the opportunity to choose the girl." – Sasuke almost laughed. The other boys were thrilled. – "It's just a kiss."

"But it's a girl!" – Temari whined.

"He kissed a boy once, and he didn't die!" – Kiba said, laughing. Both Sasuke and Naruto blushed madly.

"Alright then!" – Temari looked around. Who the heck would she kiss? She didn't wanna be the first to any of the girls. That would just be wrong. 

She was sure that Sakura and Hinata were keeping their first kiss for Sasuke and Naruto. So that left her with TenTen and Ino. Temari smiled and got up. Shikamaru was in for a jealous party.

She leaned over Ino and quickly kissed her, startling the girl and especially, the blushing and steaming boy seating next to her aka Shikamaru.

"There you go Sasuke!" – she winked at Ino and then sat down. What she didn't notice was the also fuming Chouji seating next to her. – "Lee it's your turn!"

Lee nodded and made the bottle spin, landing on Gaara. – "Truth or dare?" – Lee asked, while they glared at each other.

"Truth!" – Gaara said simply.

"Is it true that in the sand that's in the gourd of yours lays the blood and flesh of every person you once killed?" – Lee asked and the others shivered.

"Yes! But I don't use it anymore!" – they all sighed relieved.

"Me!" – TenTen giggled, spinning the bottle. It aimed to Naruto. – "Truth or dare Naruto?"

"Truth!" – he answered quickly.

"Is it true that you were the first to experiment '1000 years of pain from Kakashi-sensei?" – TenTen giggled. Naruto and Sasuke flinched at the mention of such a dreadful technique.

"Yes, unfortunately!" – the others laughed, imagining Naruto being poked up the ass. Naruto blushed.

Neiji picked Chouji. – "Truth or dare?" – he asked.

"Dare!" – Chouji saw the smile on Neiji's lips and knew he would regret his choice very soon.

"I dare you to not put any food inside your mouth until tomorrow morning!" – Neiji smirked when Chouji panicked.

"NOOOOOO! Not my snacks!" – but being the proud ninja he was, he put his chips aside and sat down, wiping.

"Very good Chouji!" – Ino smiled. It was Shikamaru's time.

"Sasuke, truth or dare?" – Shikamaru asked when the bottle stopped on the raven-haired boy.

"Truth!" 

Shikamaru yawned and then asked. – "Are you in love with Sakura?" – Sasuke coughed.

"WHAT?" – Sasuke yelled, blushing madly.

"You heard me well enough. Answer!" – everyone was surprised by Shikamaru's question. Not because of the question itself, but because of who made the question.

"Ahahaha! Shikamaru you asshole, of course Sasuke isn't in love with Sakura." – Ino laughed hard, but when Sasuke gave no answer she started doubting herself. – "Right? Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke was currently rubbing his chin, looking at the roof, very red on the face.

"Say it already!" – Naruto shouted and whacked him across the head.

"Shut up dobe!" - Sasuke snapped back.

"Are you going to give the answer sometime today?" – Shikamaru asked, arching a brow.

Sasuke flushed. – "OKAY! I admit. I love Sakura!" – he aimed a finger at Gaara. – "And I'm going to kill you for ever touching her!" – Gaara could help but laugh.

"NNNNOOOOO!" – Ino fainted.

Sakura blushed madly and fainted also.

"Freaky!" – Naruto muttered.

"Help me wake up Ino, she's the next to spin!" – Shikamaru asked Chouji. – "Wake up Ino!" – Shika asked, fighting the urge to kiss the girl.

Ino suddenly opened her eyes and got up, hitting her head on Shikamaru. – "ITTAI!" – they both yelled.

"Stupid Ino!" – Shikamaru yelled and prepared for death. When nothing came, he opened his eyes and looked at Ino. 

She was crying and sobbing. – "Shika-kun!" – she grabbed him and cried on his shoulder. Shikamaru and Chouji exchanged glances. Ino had never acted that way before. – "Sasuke-*sob*kun doesn't like *sob* me ..." – Shikamaru sighed. Although he was sympathetic with her, all he wanted was to shoot her away. Was all she ever saw Sasuke? Couldn't she look around for a bit? Maybe that way he would be noticed.

Shikamaru just stood there, letting her cry but not hugging her back. She was hurt, but she was hurting him even more, and in ways he did not want to console her, since no one could do it for him.

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Here we are, at the end of yet another chapter for this fanfiction. Hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review.

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	13. Kiss me baby Just wanting to keep my fr...

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OMG! I can't believe I got all those reviews for chapter 11, and I posted it on a Thursday also. Thank you all very much! You're all amazing.

Note: I just saw something today, on ffnet, that caught my attention. There is this other fic that describes a sleepover and a truth or dare game. I just wanted you to know I DID NOT take the idea from there. I actually only spotted it today and I didn't even read it. It's just to clear things up, ok?

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Manga or Anime called Naruto.

****

Bloodthirsty – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 12: "Kiss me baby! Just wanting to keep my friends."

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[This chapter is a little more dark and sad that all the previous ones. But it still has its comedy.]

While Ino cried her eyes out, Naruto and Hinata were trying to wake Sakura up, which was quite harder then they thought.

"Sakura-chan, wake up!" – Naruto asked for the hundredth time. Then a idea seemed to poop inside Naruto's head. – "EUREKA!" – Naruto yelled, making Hinata jump and flush. – "Hinata-chan, please lend me that thing you used on Shikamaru this morning." – Hinata blushed even more and nodded, before searching her backpack for said item.

"H-here it is N-Naruto-kun ..." – Hinata stammered out, handing him the bottle.

Naruto smiled, opened it and placed it behind Sakura's nose. Soon, she started moving said nose, right before sneezing strongly, and jumping awake.

"What the HELL was that?" – Sakura coughed hard, holding her neck and her nose.

Naruto grinned and gave the bottle back to Hinata, from behind their back, so that Sakura couldn't see it.

"Oh my God! It seems like my nose has been ripped apart!" – Sakura moaned, before falling to her knees. – "I feel a nosebleed coming ..." – when she said this, she blushed. Nosebleed were occasionally related to sexy stuff, but this time it wasn't, even if that thought did not diminished her embarrassment at all.

She crawled back to her place, between Naruto and Sasuke. When she looked over to the last one, she saw him blush, and for the longest time she didn't get it. Then she looked over to Ino, who was still crying on Shikamaru's shoulder. It suddenly hit her. Sasuke's revelation! She blushed madly and tried to hide her head in a very deep hole. Then she remembered Ino.

Sakura had always thought that Ino didn't actually love Sasuke, but it seemed like she was really hurt by his confession. Sakura was very sorry for her. If anything, Sakura never meant to hurt Ino. They were friends after all.

"Ino it's your turn." – Temari said sympathetically.

Ino stopped crying and nodded. Wiping her tears away she randomly made the bottle spin.

Everyone gaped when the bottle stopped, aiming at ... Sakura.

Sakura and Ino stared at one another for a long time. Finally, Ino regained her composure and asked. – "Truth or dare?" – her voice was different, probably due to all the time she had been crying and sobbing. 

Sakura's eyes softened. – "Truth." – she answered simply.

Ino looked deep into her eyes, and the question seemed to come naturally, unlike what she would've expected after what had juts happened. – "Are we still friends?"

Sakura's eyes widened, along with all the others in the room. That was surely not the question any of them was expecting. Sakura's lips curved into a true smile. – "Of course we are! We've always been, after all ... Ino-chan ... friendship is a feeling deeper than love!" – Ino's and Sakura's eyes watered. They both got up and hugged each other, while crying with happiness.

Temari and the other girls were crying too, and Sasuke couldn't help the smile that graced his lips. 

As for Shikamaru, he just frowned, because although he was happy that they had solved their friendship, his heart still hurt. For years he had been in love with Ino and there was always some kind of hope. He always thought that her crush for the Uchiha boy would vanish, and she would somehow notice him. But that day never came. And just a few minutes ago, she had crushed all his hopes. Hopes that had come up a few minutes before that.

When he asked Sasuke the dreadful question, he just expected Ino to realize that she wasn't really in love with said boy. But it all backfired to him. He had seen the sadness in her eyes. He had heard and felt the racing beat of her heart. It felt just like his ... she was heartbroken. That evening, all of his hopes had vanished. Ino was in love with the Uchiha and even if now she was happy for her friend Sakura, her own heart would take a long time to heal. And Shikamaru didn't want to wait any longer, and in the end he would probably not even be noticed anyway, so why care? Why hope? Why long for something he would most likely never get?

Sakura and Ino finally decided to sit down. Ino was wearing a big smile, and when she sat down between Shikamaru and Chouji, she gave a big smile a big bear hug to each. Shikamaru gave her a small smile. She was too happy to see the pain in his eyes. But that didn't go unnoticed to Chouji, Temari, Gaara, Hinata and as unusual as it may sound, Naruto noticed too. The last one frowned. Shikamaru was one of his closest friends and he didn't like to see him like that.

"It's my turn!" – Chouji said happily as he made the bottle spin. It aimed at Kiba. – "What will it be?" 

"Dare!" – Kiba grinned and Akamaru barked in agreement.

Chouji grinned. – "I dare you to lick someone's face!" – Kiba went O_O while the others laughed at the thought. – "I still give you the opportunity to choose the person." – Chouji smiled.

Kiba looked around and his eyes stopped on Temari.

"Don't even think about it Kiba!" – Temari growled. Kiba and Chouji sighed, but for different reasons (^-^*hint*). Kiba then looked over to Hinata, who kindly smiled at him.

"Hinata-chan is my own private goddess!" – Kiba said before jumping right in front of Hinata. She giggled and blushed. – "I promise to be your slave for the rest of the week if you lend me you beautiful face for a lick!" – Hinata giggled more and the rest laughed. All but Naruto who rolled his eyes and growled.

Soon, Kiba was licking Hinata's face affectionately, like a dog does to his master.

"K-Kiba-kun ..... Ahahaha .... It tickles ...." – Hinata was crying from laughing so hard.

When Kiba was about to stop, a hand, coming from God knows where(^-^), hit him across the face, sending him flying to the other side of the room. Everyone was like O_o.

Kiba got up with a flash. – "What the hell is your problem Uzamaki?" – Kiba yelled.

Naruto rolled his eyes again and muttered a small - "Ups! My hand must've slipped." – now it was the others turn to roll their eyes.

"The hands don't just SLIP!" – Kiba was about to bite Naruto's head off when Gaara grabbed him and stopped him.

"Sit down Kiba!" – Kiba growled but did as told. He knew better then to piss Gaara off.

"Me, me, me ..." – Temari said excitedly while spinning the bottle. – "TenTen, decide your fate. Truth or dare?" 

TenTen sweatdropped, Temari made it look like if it was the end of the world. – "Dare!" – TenTen didn't want it all that much. She still had the image as herself, disguised as the 5th dancing the Hulla-hulla. And mind you, it was not a beautiful memory.

"AHA!" – Temari yelled, getting up and aiming a finger at TenTen. – "I dare you to kiss Neiji-kun on the LIPS!" – TenTen almost fainted and Neiji blushed madly.

"I refuse!" – TenTen yelled back, while blushing like a very red tomato.

"You cannot refuse! Be a proud kunoichi. Complete the mission assigned to you!" – Temari dramatized and the others sweatdropped.

TenTen looked over to Neiji, blushed a little more and then gulped. – «I can do this! I can do this, I can do this!» - she kept repeating on her head as she leaned over her teammate.

"I can't do th ...." – TenTen yell was interrupted when a hand came from behind and pressed her head against Neiji's.

TenTen and Neiji were both O_O while the others cheered on the background.

When the two teammates separated after a veryyyyyyyy long lip-lock, courtesy of Leaf's green beats aka Rock Lee, who had 'accidentally' pushed TenTen's face into making contact with Neiji's, said shinobi got up and went in pursuit of his green teammate, ready to kill. The others were laughing hard at the scene.

"It wasn't all that bad, was it?" – Temari asked a very flushed TenTen.

TenTen touched her lips carefully, still not believing this was reality. She had actually kissed Neiji. Well, it had been a weird kiss, assuming that they were both not expecting it, but still ... she blushed even more and buried her head between her hands.

"I'm going to kill you Lee!" – Neiji yelled, as he ran after the Taijutsu specialist around the house. That was, before a foot set itself in front of Neiji and he tripped, almost hitting his head on the floor.

"ENOUGH! I don't want my house destroyed. And Neiji, you know you liked it." – Gaara couldn't help but smirk when Neiji blushed from head to toe. – "Shino proceed!" – Gaara said, as they sat back on the floor. Neiji and TenTen avoiding each other's gaze, although they were both looking at each other from the corner of their eyes.

Shino made the bottle spin, and it soon stopped in front of Lee. – "Truth or dare, Lee-san?" – Shino asked calmly.

"Truth!" – Lee said immediately.

"Are you still into Sakura-chan?" – Shina asked casually.

"Not really. Sakura-chan loves Sasuke. Sasuke loves Sakura-chan, so where would I fit?" – mention genins blushed at the remark, and a blonde kunoichi felt her heart shatter a little more. – "But my promise to protect Sakura-chan even with my life at risk, still remains!" – Lee made all those poses he usually does, and most of the genins laughed, the remaining just sweatdropped.

"Spin it Kiba!" – Temari said. Kiba nodded and did as said. The bottle landed on Naruto. Kiba grinned. Revenge was sweet.

"Naruto, choose!" – everyone hissed when Kiba growled. 

Naruto knew that if chose truth, then Kiba would make an embarrassing question, so he chose ... – "Dare."

"Wrong choice!" – Kiba yelled, aiming a finger to Naruto. – "I dare you to kiss Hinata's neck and to leave a mark." – everyone gasped. Naruto and Hinata blushed madly. - "If you hit me just a while ago, it was because you were jealous. Now do as I told you." – Kiba growled. He knew Hinata loved Naruto, and he also knew that she would never do anything to show him that, being as shy as she was, and Naruto being the dense person he was, would never notice it without a little help.

"I hope Hinata-chan kills you for this later." – Naruto muttered under his breath, as he turned around to meet said girl's eyes.

"I highly doubt it." – Kiba snickered as he watched Hinata's extremely blushed face.

"Hinata-chan ..." – Naruto started as he knelled down in front of the girl. – "... I can just give up if you don't want me to do this." – Hinata shocked her head frantically.

The moment she had so longed for was here and he was asking her if she wanted it. Heck, of course she did.

"It's ok, N-Naruto-kun ..." – the girl took the leaf-head-protector from around her neck and shoved her head a litle to the right closing her eyes, as the other boy leaned closer.

Meanwhile, everyone in the room held their breath, even though they were not aware of their own behavior.

Even before his lips met the skin on her neck, Naruto felt something in his stomach, something that seemed like a million butterflies flying inside of him, trying to get out. It wasn't an unpleasant felling, actually it was quite good. He knew for a while now, that he felt something for the white eyed kunoichi, but never had he given it a thought. 

As his lips touched her neck, Hinata had to fight hard the moan that she wanted more than anything to let out from her lips. As he let a trail of butterflies kisses over her, she felt her cheeks burn even more. If her father had seen her in this situation, she would be dead by now, along with Naruto.

When his lips stopped on a particularly sensitive spot close to her shoulder, she had the urge to grab his golden looks and push his head closer as his teeth bitten on her flesh. 

Hinata gasped and a hand flew to cover her mouth, suppressing the moan that almost escaped. To her, Naruto let go all too soon, and she almost let go a groan of annoyance as his head lift up from her neck.

But something made her blush even more, and that was the sight of a very flushed Naruto. The boy quickly averted his eyes from her own and got up quickly.

"Are you happy now, you piece of shit?" – Naruto growled out to Kiba. 

It was then that they both took a look at the spectators. They all had their mouth wide open, and eyes jumping out. Naruto sweatdropped and blushed a little more.

"What's your problem?" – he asked them all. And finally they snapped out of it.

The girls' eyes turned into hearts and they all squeaked a very noisy "KAWAII!".

As for the boys, some almost laughed, others actually laughed and the rest of them were patting Naruto's back and congratulating him for his new 'girlfriend'.

The girls had already jumped on top of Hinata, wanting to take a glimpse on her mark.

Both Hinata and Naruto were too embarrassed to retort.

"That was fun!" – Temari said with a big smile, as they all sat back down.

Naruto was muttering something about 'pieces of shit', 'bastards' and 'hyper-active girls' while he watched Kankuro make the bottle spin. It eventually stopped, aiming at Temari.

"Truth or dare, sis?" – Kankuro asked with a smile.

"Truth ..." – Temari answered, flinching slightly. Afraid that she might regret her choice later.

"Are you in love with whom I think you are?" – Kankuro asked, growling threateningly. Temari sweatdropped.

«Well, at least he didn't mention a name.» - Temari thought to herself. – "So, what if I am?" – Temari answered, smirking.

"Answer the question ..." – Gaara and Kankuro growled. The others just didn't get it, especially since Kabuto wouldn't give a name.

"Yes!" 

Gaara almost ripped his hair off and Kankuro had his eyes in flames.

"Baka of a sister!" – Kankuro yelled, suppressing the need he had to strangle someone right there and then.

"Next!" – Temari singsang.

"That's not fair!" – Ino pouted.

"Yeah, we wanna know who it is!" – Sakura whined. 

Temari just laughed and waved a hand at them. – "In your dreams!" – the girls growled and they were all thinking the same thing: «You're going to pay for this Temari-chan!»

None of them noticed the sadness that stained Chouji's features when Temari had said yes.

Gaara breathed in and out, trying to regain his control and then he made the bottle spin.

A smile came to his lips when said bottle came to a halt, right in front of Chouji. Temari gulped.

"Truth or dare!" – Chouji flinched, along with everyone else in the room. Gaara's voice had sounded poisoned.

"T-truth, I guess ..." – Chouji answered, fearing for his life. At least the truth couldn't hurt as much as a painful dare, right?

Gaara chuckled (OMG! Gaara chuckled. Run for your lives!^-^). – "Do you wanna die tonight?" – everyone in the room sweatdropped.

"N-not really ..." – Chouji stammered out.

"Because I surely want to kill you right now!" – Gaara flamed out, making them all shiver.

"Gaara, breath. Ok? Just breath!" – Temari said calmly.

Gaara seemed to hear his sister and eventually calmed down a little. Then he lifted his head, wearing a smile. – "Just kidding!" – they all fell back, anime style.

"THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!" – Naruto, Sakura and Ino yelled at the same time. Gaara chuckled again.

"It's better if we proceed ..." – Temari said, while massaging her tempers. – "Next!" – she called.

"It's me ..." – Hinata made the bottle spin and in short, in landed on Shikamaru.

Hinata looked into his eyes and saw the sadness in them. Her smile soon turned into a frown. – "Truth or dare, Shikamaru-kun?" – she asked kindly.

"Truth." – he said absently. 

Hinata nodded and was about to make a question when Gaara elbowed her. He then whispered in her ear. – "Ask him if he is love with Ino." – Hinata blushed and nodded. When she was parting her lips, ready to make the question, Naruto elbowed her and this time he whispered in her ear. Much to everyone's surprise, and Hinata's embarrassment.

What he told her made her frown though, but she nodded her head and then looked to Gaara. He understood that she would not ask his question and nodded.

"Shikamaru-kun ..." – Hinata started, gaining everyone's attention. – "... Were you heartbroken tonight?" – everyone was surprised and gasped. Then their eyes averted to Shikamaru.

Said boy had a frown in his face and his eyes showed all the pain that crossed his heart and mind at the moment.

His answer came without hesitation or complain. Much to everyone astonishment. – "Yes." – Hinata nodded, giving him her best smile.

"That's not fair!" – Naruto whined, and Shikamaru couldn't help but smile slightly. Naruto was a good friend.

Ino just looked intensely at her teammate. Hinata's question had came as a big surprise and when she finally saw his eyes, she understood why Hinata had asked that. His eyes were so pained, so empty. She didn't understand why but her heart hurt at that sight. And for as much as she though about it, she couldn't understand what had made him so sad. But probably, he was in love with a girl from that group, and seeing as they had all been hooked up tonight, he might've been sad if his girl was one of those.

She wanted to comfort him, but she just didn't know how she could do that. So she just sighed hard and with a big smile, she grabbed his right arm and set her head on his shoulder.

She missed the blush on his cheeks and the sadness that stroke his eyes even more with her gesture. She even missed Hinata, Gaara and Naruto flinch at the same gesture. She missed it all, and that only made it hurt even more.

"It's your turn Naruto-kun!" – Temari said with a smile.

"Yeah ..." – Naruto said, not really caring. He was still worried about Shikamaru. – "Neiji? Truth or dare?" – Naruto asked when the bottle stopped spinning.

"Truth." – Neiji answered, frowning because he had also seen the scene and was much displeased with Ino.

Naruto grinned. The happiness returning to his eyes. – "Did you enjoy that kiss?" – if Neiji had been drinking at that time, he would've spilled it all in Naruto's face.

"WHAT?" – he asked, blushing madly. The girls giggled and the boys almost laughed. TenTen just blushed.

"You heard me perfectly well, Neiji." – Naruto grinned even wider, enjoying the look in Neiji's reddened face. – "Answer!" – Naruto urged.

"That is a tricky question! I'm not answering!" – Neiji said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Tricky?" – Naruto's voice seemed venomously. – "I'll show you tricky if you don't answer the damn question right away!" – Naruto yelled, getting up from his spot on the floor.

Neiji sweatdropped. – "Alright!" – Naruto calmed down. – "I did okay! I enjoyed the kiss." – Neiji said quickly, blushing more than he remembered ever doing in his short live.

"AHA!" – Naruto and Lee yelled at once, dancing around in victory. – "Neiji likes TenTen. Neiji likes TenTen. Neiji likes TenTen ..." – they both sang around.

Gaara had his hand on his face, muttering something about 'childish acts'. The rest of the crew was laughing and celebrating too. TenTen was too embarrassed and surprised to do anything at all.

"Ask her out Neiji-kun!" – Ino squeaked out.

"So are you like an item now?" – Sakura asked, giggling happily.

"SHUT UP!" – Neiji yelled from the top of his lungs. They all stopped, looking at him and looking something like this: O_O

Neiji had always been the cool one, the controlled one. And now he had just burst out like that.

"All of you just shut up!" – Neiji breathed heavily. – "I said I liked the kiss, but that doesn't mean anything. Anything at all!"

TenTen's heart seemed to shatter on that instant. Her hopes were so high that night, but now, with those few words, they had all come down to zero. 

She should've been expecting this. Just because he likes someone kisses that doesn't mean he likes the person itself. She had been a fool.

As the tears threatened to fall from her eyes, she closed her hand in a tight grip, gaining control over herself she pulled the tears back.

Naruto and Lee noticed it and they both frowned. Naruto only wanted to punch Neiji, and when he was about to do it, he felt someone grab his arm. – "Hinata-chan ..." – Naruto said when he saw the white-eyes girl.

"Let them be Naruto-kun. Neiji nii-chan only wanted to seem strong, sooner or later he will be forced to reveal his true feelings." – Hinata said with a smile. Soon that smile also crept across the blonde shinobi's lips.

"I hope you're right!" – Naruto said calmly as they all sat back down.

"It's my turn." – Sakura said with a smile as the bottle spined around. It stopped in Kankuro who growled in frustration . –"Truth or dare?" – Sakura giggled seeing his annoyance.

"Dare!" – Kankuro only noticed what he had said, when it was already late and he slapped his forehead. Because of his stupidity he would suffer by Sakura's hands.

"It's a dare then ..." – Sakura thought about it for a few minutes, before coming up with a good idea. – "I dare you to ... tell us who Temari-chan is in love with!" – Sakura laughed hard and congratulated herself for her intelligence. She and Ino couldn't have been more happy.

Kankuro sweatdropped. – "No way." – he stated calmly.

"Why?" – Sakura whined.

"Because Temari wouldn't be very pleased with that." – Sakura glanced at Temari and saw her flushed face and angered eyes.

"Alright, then ..." – Sakura needed to come up with a different way to get the same answer. – "You give us a few clues and if we guess, then fine, if not than it's ok anyway. Do you agree now?" – Sakura asked hopefully.

"Yes, but I'll only give you two clues!" – Sakura growled but had to agree. – "First, he likes to eat!" – Sakura's eyes widened.

"Eat? What kind of food?" 

"Can't tell 'ya! It would be too obvious!" – when Kankuro said that, most of them looked over to Naruto. (Naruto like ramen, actually he loves it ... lol)

"Second clue ..." – Kankuro started. – "He's a good friend of Shikamaru!" – They were all O_O

"STUPID! You gave too many clues!" – Temari yelled, blushing madly.

"YOU LIKE NARUTO?" – almost all of them yelled [except for Shikamaru, Chouji, Neiji, Kankuro, Naruto and Gaara]

Temari and Kankuro fell back, anime style.

"YOU MORONS!" – Kankuro yelled. – "Don't just jump to conclusions. The clues I gave you can lead you to two different persons. Use your brains!" – Kankuro yelled, irritated.

"Two?" – Sakura asked and then thought about it. – "You're right! It can be either Naruto or ..." – everyone waited for her answer. – " ... Chouji!" 

Chouji blushed madly. He had been so drown in his own thoughts, that the idea hadn't even crossed his mind.

"Exactly!" – Kankuro sighed. – "Now sit down!" 

They all did as told, most of them still thinking hard, trying to find out who it was after all.

Naruto was grinning for ear to ear and glancing at Chouji, snickering every once in a while. Even he did get it already. Neiji and Shikamaru were just wondering how dumb could they be, especially Chouji who hadn't gotten the hint yet.

"It's your turn Sasuke-kun." – Temari said, still blushing madly.

"I know." – Sasuke rolled the bottle, and after a few seconds, it stopped. – "Dobe, truth or dare?" – Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Stop calling me that!" – Naruto yelled frustrated. – "I choose dare. Give it your best shot asshole!" – The glint in his eyes was screaming challenge and Sasuke couldn't help but smile.

"You're gonna regret this dobe!" – Sasuke was about to give him an extremely embarrassing dare, but then Sakura's last dare popped in his head. An idea stroke his mind and he frowned.

Naruto frowned also and started to regret his choice. He hadn't chosen truth because he was afraid that Sasuke might've asked something about the nine-tails, but now ... now he feared it even more.

"I want you to tell us ..." – Sasuke started, startling everyone with the seriousness of his voice. – ".. what is it you've been hiding from us and that makes you and Gaara so much alike." 

Naruto glared hard at Sasuke before getting up. – "That's an unfair question and I will not answer it!" – Sasuke also got up and they looked deep into each others eyes.

"And why not?"

"Everyone has secrets that they don't tell anyone! Why can't I have my own?" – Naruto yelled furiously.

"I have a felling this is not your secret! Kakashi-sensei knows about it so why can't we?" – Sasuke yelled back.

The others just watched amused.

"SHUT UP!" – Naruto yelled, grabbing his head in his hands. – "What do you know? I don't wanna talk about it, and no one can force me to!" – Naruto was going to get out from the house but Sasuke grabbed his arm.

"YOU are our teammate. You shouldn't keep important info from us!"

"You lived without that information until now. So why can't you keep doing the same?"

"Tell us already!" – Sasuke demanded.

"NO!"

"Don't make me force the words out Naruto!" – Sasuke and Naruto glared hard at each other, and when Sasuke was about to deliver a blow on his teammate ...

"ENOUGH!" – they all looked over to Gaara, who had just yelled. – "Don't force him to tell you Uchiha!" 

Sasuke's eyes softened when he saw the hurt in Gaara's face.

"If he didn't tell you yet, it was because he thinks you're not ready. It's because he doesn't want to loose you ..." – Gaara smiled at Naruto. – "Just let him be!" – Gaara separated the two and he saw the thankfulness in Naruto's blue eyes.

"I just don't understand!" – Sasuke said calmly. – "Why he keeps secrets from us ... secrets which we know that are important." – Sasuke sat back down and looked down at his feet. – "I thought we were your friends, but I guess I was wrong." – Naruto's eyes watered with those words and he turned over to face the Uchiha boy.

"You want to know it that badly?" – Naruto asked between sobs. – "Just so you know ... I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to loose the only friends I had ... the only people who saw me for what I am and not for what I have inside of me ..." – everyone looked up at him, and they all saw the tears that now ran freely across his cheeks. They all saw him pat his belly gently as he said the last words.- "... I wanted to keep that ... forever ..."

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MUAH! I'm going to stop here. Yeah, I'm evil! An angst chapter for a change. Please leave a review and come back next week for yet another chapter. And expect the unexpected ...

I'm so evil ^-^

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	14. Beyond the shell

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*Gasp* I couldn't believe my eyes when I checked the reviews. You are so good to me! Thank you all!

I'm going to give personal thanks, or by the end of the chapter, or on a separate "thank you" chapter. And once again: Arigatou Gozaimasu!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

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Bloodthirsty – Friendship

Chapter 13: "Beyond the shell."

[This chapter is still a little angst. Can't avoid it! And by the way, it will probably not have humor, but it will surely have romance.]

"Don't do it Naruto ..." – Gaara said calmly.

"It's better if they know it through me, rather then from someone else." – Naruto said between sobs.

"You're not ready! They're not ready! It's not the time yet!" – Gaara almost yelled at him.

"I'd rather have them hate me for something they know and understand, then for something they don't ..." – Naruto closed his eyes. – ".. sooner or later they'll find out anyway." – he sighed and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"You'll regret your choice ..." – Gaara whispered, seating down on the floor.

"I know ..." – Naruto breathed in and out once, before speaking. – "I'd like to think that you, having known me for who I am, would not judge me like the others. Not ... hate me like everyone else in that village ... look at me wishing I was dead ... asking your children to stay away from me, praying for me to give a wrong step so that you would have a good enough reason to just put an end to my misery." – he closed his eyes once more. – "I'd like to believe that would be true ..." – he smiled before continuing. – "But I'm not stupid. After what I have to tell you, all of you ... no exceptions made, will hate me. Needless of what I may say, despite of all the years you've interacted with me, knowing what I truly am is going to change your mind."

Naruto dared not look at them. He dared not see the surprise in their faces, which would soon turn to hate and despise. 

"Gaara is right! I am going to regret this ... a lot ..." – but the need to see their innocent faces once again, gained control and he opened his eyes slowly. – "Have you never even wondered why your parents always told you to keep away from me? Not once did you question anyone to why they treated me the way they did. Despise me, hate me, even threaten me if I got any way close to any of their children? Did you even notice any of this?" – he could see in their eyes that they did. But of course the adults could never mention it, mention his secret. It was a rule after all. – "There is not a single person in that village that does not look at me in that way. Only the Hokage and the highest shinobis saw me differently. The others always hated me, always treated me badly." – to their surprise, Naruto took his jacket off and threw it somewhere across the room. - "Hate always comes from somewhere ... always has a reason to exist ..." – he lifted his black shirt a little, leaving his belly exposed. – "... always has a purpose ..." – with those words, Naruto pushed his chakra out, making the seal appear before all those eyes.

"What's that?" – Sakura surprised, asked the question all the others wanted to make.

"This is the reason ... the reason why they hate me ... the same reason why you will all hate me from now on ..." – Naruto said calmly.

"That's just bullshit Naruto!" – Kiba growled.

"There is nothing that can make us hate you ..." – Sakura said quickly.

"Friends don't just quickly change to enemies. Despite of what you have to say, we will never be able to hate you for it." – Temari assured with a smile. But that smile soon disappeared when she saw Naruto frown.

"Tell me that, after I'm done talking!" – Naruto dared. – "I hated the villagers!" – Naruto said, startling them all. – "Hated them beyond comprehension because they despised me, and I never knew why. I never understood their behavior. The way they looked at me, the way they cursed at me, openly wishing for my death. I hated them far beyond the way they hated me." – Naruto yelled. – "Making me cry, making me crawl in the night, feeling guilty for myself, pitying myself for things I never did and never would do." – he paused for a little. – "Making me guilty for things he did. Seeing only him and his mistakes, never trying to see me. Never trying to see beyond the shell, beyond the borders. They always saw only him. And never letting me know." – another pause. – "The day I found out, all I wanted to do was die. Why was I alive anyway? They had a reason to hate me, a reason to kill me, so why didn't they just do it? Finish the job they had once started?" – he sighed heavily. – "I stopped hating them so much from then on. I understood their reasons in some odd way. I wanted to be dead. But then, I found someone who saw beyond the walls, beyond the shell. Iruka-sensei was the only person in that city who understood ME and saw ME. He made it worth living. I wanted to prove everyone wrong. I wanted them to know that I was more that a simple vessel, a shell without live, emotions or dreams."

Gaara closed his eyes and sighed. «Why did it have to come to this?»

"I am Uzamaki Naruto! Despite all the assumptions you'll make from this day on, I am myself. I cannot part from him, and in ways I do not want to. He is my responsibility whether I enjoy it or not." – Naruto stepped backwards. – "He is part of me and I've learned to take full guilty over his deeds. He killed, he was a ruthless murderer. But although he is now part of me, it was not this body, this shell that made his mistakes." – he paused once more. – "Although I'd like to say that we're not the same, that we're not one, I would just be lying myself. We are one, and we both take responsibilities." - ... – "I did not ask for this. I never begged for him to be here. But I would never give this burden to anyone else because I know how much it hurts." – Naruto slowly caressed the seal. – "This think you all see is a seal ... the seal that binds his spirit and will to me."

"You're starting to scare me Naruto ..." – Sakura muttered, eyes puffy.

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan." – and Naruto actually smiled a bit. – "I'm sorry for having kept this secret from you all. Maybe someday you'll forgive me ..." – he let out a little smirk . – "... but probably that will never happen." – his face showed a frown once again. – "Do you remember the Nine-tails fox demon that attacked our village sixteen years ago? (remember they are 16 now)" – most of them nodded. – "He murdered many people, he brought chaos to Konoha, he ..." – with his left hand he once again patted his belly. – " ... is inside of me!"

The genins gaped.

"W-what ...?" – Sakura stammered.

"What are you trying to say dobe?" – Sasuke asked, being as surprised and as confused as all the others.

"You heard me quite well! To save the village, the 4th Hokage-sama sealed the Demon inside a new-born child. It so happened that the lucky child had the name Uzamaki Naruto." – he said coldly.

"Uso! That's not possible!" – Shikamaru yelled, getting up. – "You are not the nine-tails demon fox!" – Shikamaru assured, more to himself than to the blonde boy in front of him.

"You're right! I'm not the demon fox." – some of them sighed relieved. – "But that doesn't change the fact that he is inside of me!" – they gaped again.

"You're lying dobe!" – Sasuke yelled, getting up also.

"SHUT UP!" – Naruto yelled back, startling them all. – "You wanted the truth and I gave you the TRUTH!" – Sasuke and Shikamaru stepped back when an enormous amount of chakra flowed out of Naruto and almost materialized in a fox-like form. – "Deal with it now!" – Naruto's tears traveled along his cheeks, and before they could even blink, Naruto was gone.

"No, no, NO!" – Sakura went hysterical and started crying. – "He's lying, it can only be a lie. It's all a freaking LIE!" – she yelled from the top of her lungs.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" – they all looked over to Gaara, who had gotten up on his feet and had a very angered expression on. – "You brought this upon yourselves." – they all lowered their heads. – "Why did you have to force it out? You have no right to be called his friends because you don't even respect his feelings. He warned you before hand. He did not want to say this, to let you know ... he didn't want you to hate him." – Gaara trailed off, suppressing his own tears that threatened to fall. – "You will never know how much it hurts to have everyone hate you and look down on you." – Gaara turned around, ready to leave, but his last words touched them all. – "Just remember one thing he said. He IS Uzamaki Naruto." – Those simple words, made them all think about their actions. And with that, Gaara was gone.

"I already knew it" – they all stared at Neiji. – "That time, during the previous chuunin selection exam he used up that chakra. I didn't know it was the nine-tails but I knew there was something inside of him." – Neiji said slowly.

"There were so many clues ..." – Shikamaru started. – "We've been blind all along ... or maybe we wanted to stay blinded ..." – Shikamaru sighed and sat down with a *thud*

"Naruto-kun ..." – Hinata muttered, while crying along with Sakura.

They all just sat there, staring at nothing in particular, trying to figure out what to do from then on.

---------------------------------Somewhere else-------------------------------

Gaara approached the blonde shinobi from behind, and without a word, he sat down next to him.

"They hate me now." – Naruto started, while tears fell freely from his open eyes, that stared at the moon.

"They do not. You just surprised them and it will take a while for them to register everything you told them, but eventually they will ..." – he was cut short by Naruto.

"Don't try to comfort me! No one befriends the demon fox!" 

"I did!" – Naruto looked up at him and couldn't help but smile a little.

"That's because you and I are the same."

"So all that bullshit you told me the other day was a lie?" – Gaara asked kindly. – "You told me even I could make friends in this village. If you believe that, than you have to believe you can too." – Gaara patted his back gently. – "They've known you for so long ... I sure they'll be able to separate you from the demon Naruto. Have faith in them."

"I hope you're right!" – Naruto muttered to the night-sky and sighed heavily.

They heard footsteps behind them, but Naruto didn't turn around. But when Gaara did, his eyes widened. – "Ah ... I think I'll leave now!" – Gaara got up quickly, patting Naruto's shoulder once again before leaving. When he passed next to the person he smiled kindly, receiving another in return.

"N-Naruto-kun ..." – Hinata stammered, not moving from her spot.

"Yeah?" – Naruto asked, trying not to cry even more.

"I-I ..." – Hinata blushed. Being the shy person she was, the nervousness of the moment wasn't helping one bit. – "I j-just wanted ..." – She almost hit her head against a tree. The words simply wouldn't come out, and it was frustrating her a lot. She was 16 and still she couldn't surpass he shyness around him. It was starting to get on her nerves.

"I don't need your pity Hinata-chan!" – Naruto started with a very cold voice, although deep down he felt happy because she had come looking for him.

"N-No! That's not it!" – Hinata almost yelled and then covered her mouth with her hands. Surely Naruto didn't need someone yelling at him.

"I'm sorry for letting a mark. A demon's mark isn't a good thing ..." – Naruto's tears started falling again and he closed his eyes.

Hinata's eyes widened with his words. And when she heard him sob, her heart seemed as though it had been squashed very tightly between two strong hands. She wanted to say something. Something that would make his tears stop, but her mouth seemed dry and no words would come out when her lips parted. Frustrated with her own weakness she cursed mentally. And then she did what her heart told her too. 

She hugged him.

Naruto's eyes widened when he felt her hug him by the neck. She then fell to her knees and buried her head on his shoulder, crying. Crying for him.

"Hinata ..." – Naruto blushed a little and smiled. Turning around he hugged her back and they both cried together.

-----------------------------Back in Gaara's house----------------------------

"We should've gone after her." – Kiba whined.

"She went after him, so leave them alone for a while will 'ya?" – Kankuro almost yelled. He was very nervous and the little things got him very pissed.

"Hinata is the only one ..." – Sakura muttered, calling their attention.

"She's what?" – Kiba asked.

"She's the only one ... his only real friend." – Sakura said, whipping the tears from her eyes. – "While we just stayed here, thinking on how to act and how not to act from now on, she just flew off, determined to find him. It doesn't even bother her, anything he said. She really loves him and not even his confession made that change." – Sakura leaned her back against the wall and sighed. – "Gaara was right! We don't deserve to be called his friends."

"Doubting him. Having second thoughts. Trying to find ways to hate him ... that was exactly what we've been doing since he left ..." – Ino said sadly.

"And what's most curious is that ..." – Lee started.

"We can't find one single reason to hate him, right?" – Shikamaru finished for him. – "Naruto is a pain in the ass, but he is our friend. And I know he would give up his life for us."

Neiji snickered. – "Having second thoughts ..."

"Naruto is simply Naruto ..." – TenTen started.

"And that will never change!" – they all said at the same time.

Soon the house was invaded by laughter. After all, nothing had changed since the kitsune-boy confessed. Naruto would forever and ever be simply ... Naruto!

------------------------Back to Naruto and Hinata------------------------

Naruto and Hinata had both stopped crying a while ago, but they still remained in each others embrace.

Hinata's hands were around his neck, and his' were around her waist. Their heads rested on the other's shoulder.

"Hinata ..." – Naruto said finally.

"Mmhh ..." – was the kunoichi's answer.

"Thank you!" – Naruto could feel her smile and he smiled too.

They both lifted their heads at the same time, and stared into each others eyes.

"N-Naruto-kun ..." – Hinata stammered.

"Nani?" – he bent his head down and let it fall on her upper chest, making the girl blush even more.

"I can see ... far beyond the shell ..." – she said with a smile.

"I know." – Naruto answered, while hugging her closer. – "Hinata?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you ..." – Naruto was unable to finish it.

"Why don't I hate you?" – She asked for him.

"Yeah. Something like that ..."

"Because, Naruto-kun ..." – she was happy, because for the first time she didn't trip on her own words while speaking to him. – ".. I know how it feels to be judged. And I don't like it one bit."

"What do you mean?" – Naruto asked calmly.

"I know I have not been through the same pain as you, but being born in a clan where they expect great things from you, and then not being able to live up to their expectations is quite a painful thing. Being rejected and put aside by your own family hurts. So, I can only imagine how it must fell to have everyone act that way towards you."

"Stupid family you have." – Naruto said plainly, making Hinata giggle.

"But I don't hate them Naruto-kun, because after all, they are my relatives." – Hinata looked up at the moon and sighed. – "My biggest dream is to be able to become strong and prove them all wrong!" – she then looked back down at him once again. – "Do you think I'll ever be able to do that?"

Naruto did not answer right away, but after some painful moments. – "Strength doesn't always reside on muscles and technique. The greatest strength comes from inside Hinata-chan." – Naruto lifted his head and they smiled to each other. – "And I think you're one of the strongest persons I know!" – Hinata blushed and nodded.

"Thank you Naruto-kun!" – his finger touched her lips, in an attempt to quiet her down.

"I'm the one thanking tonight!" – Hinata giggled again and Naruto soon joined.

"Look what we have here?" – a voice came from behind them, surprising the two.

"Here we were, worrying ourselves sick while you were dating Hinata." – another voice came.

"Figures." – a voice accompanied by a bark.

"You're so troublesome."

"Remember me never to get worried over him again. It's never worth it!"

"Stupid dobe!"

Naruto and Hinata turned around, only to meet the other genins.

"What are you all doing here?" – Naruto asked surprised, and a tad bit happy.

"Dunno!" – Kankuro muttered, which earned him a whack across the head, courtesy of his sister.

Shikamaru stepped forward and leaned over so that he was eye to eye with Naruto. – "You are in big trouble mister." – Naruto flinched when he saw the smirk in Shikamaru's face.

"Definitely!" – Sakura said, pulling her sleeve up, an obvious sign that she was pissed, and in for some fight.

"Nani?" – Naruto sweatdropped.

"You're gonna pay ..." – Ino said, very annoyed.

"... for ruining ..." – TenTen continued, joining the other two kunoichis.

"... our sleepover!" – Temari ended and they all jumped on top of Naruto. Startling him and Hinata, the lat one having jumped out of the way.

"N-Naruto-kun?" – Hinata panicked when she was already up on her two feet and watching as the ball of smoke seemed to gain life. – "What are they doing to you?"

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Muah! I'm so evil that I'm going to stop here. Wait and on next chapter the humor will be back. Do not worry, I shall not kill our kitsune-boy. Please leave a review!

***

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Ups! Forgot about the thanks, so here they are:

Dark Nemesis 7 – Thank you for always supporting me! I'm glade you like it. Arigatou.

Rezi – Arigatou to you too

Silver Neo – You're always so supportive. Thanks a bunch!

DocDragon – The chunnin selection exam is coming ... just you wait ... ^-^ Thank you for pointing out that thing about the "Meat Tank", I always get my ideas mixed up.

Wolfen Man – You're very nice ... :p

Crimson Girl – *lol* ^-^ You're so sweet ...

... – That's a cool nickname ^-^ Anyway, thank you a lot for your support.

Loserfreakperson – I'm sorry for the grammar mistake -_- but I can't help it.

Grand Admiral Gin – Arigatou!

Arbil – I wonder why you all seemed to like chapter 11 so much ... but thanks anyway!

KonohaNinja – Glade I make people laugh. Actually I laugh a lot while I'm writing it ^-^ And romance is on the way ...

DarkFusion – Humor is the best because we all need to laugh a little, otherwise life is boring (does that remind you of a certain shinobi ... ^-^)

Reeki – I really need a proof reader, but I'm too lazy ... :p Sorry!

Alriadne – You name it ... ^-^

12_Green_Peas – Naru+Hina forever. And I take it you like this chapter ^-^

WormKaizer – Here is a special chapter for all you Naru+Hina fans ...

Eahda Ohn – Curious ... You had the same idea as me, so I'm sorry if I didn't use your idea, but I really had this idea from the chapter where he almost tells Sasu and Saku about it. Anyway, thanks!

oOoshotayoOo – Cool nickname! ^-^ Glad you enjoyed.

Narut-kun – Arigatou!

EmeraldBlossom – I'm updating already ^-^

Karasu Sage – I'm so evil ... *lol*

Sequ3stered – Tema/Chou is one of my favorites. I just love Chouji and I had to get him a girl ... ^-^

ABC – Thanks and I know about the mistakes ... Sorry!

Trikster – I am an unexpected person, thus the words. ^-^

Darren – Naru+Hina ... love it!

Nkyo – I need to practice my angst

Omnidragon – Thanks!

Arigatou Gozaimasu. You are the best ever!

Till next chapter

***


	15. Sake

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100 REVIEWS!!! Thank you so very much! And I'm very sorry for not updating for over two weeks but I had and author's block for this fic too. And as I once heard, one should not write under those conditions, even if the reviewers are begging for more. It would make a sucker chapter anyway, and I don't think anyone would like that, right?

I knew that sooner or later someone from "Stay with me" would drop by and intend to kill me. But, as I said of one of the first chapters for this story, I really need to finish this one. Besides I'm having a major author block for my CCS fic. But I promise that I'll finish it soon. Hopefully it will come after I finish this one. 

Now back to business ,I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.

Note: The smoke that I mentioned on last chapter, appeared, like in all animes, when some characters are fighting and all you see is smoke and eventually some legs, heads and arms popping out. I can't explain it very well, but you should get the picture.

Disclaimer: I own anything related to Naruto. It's all Kishimoto-san's property. Only the original characters are mine. Including all the ladies that needed their bags carried away ^-^

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Bloodthirsty – Friendship

Chapter 14: "Sake"

Hinata's mind was filled with bloody thoughts of all what might be happening to Naruto, while being harassed by a pack of mad teenage girls who seemed to be all but nice.

"S-stop it!" – Naruto's voice came. Hinata and the others flinched when they heard a scream, that seamed all but pleasant. – "Stop it, p-please!" 

A few more Ah's, Oh's and No's were heard, and each time they came, the spectators flinched.

"Ahaha, stop it!" – their eyebrows rose, and they exchanged puzzled looks. That had not sounded like a cry of pain.

The smoke cleared and Hinata's eyes widened when, instead of a badly-beaten Naruto, she got a tickled-to-the-ground Naruto.

"That's what you get for running off like that!" – Temari yelled, as she tickled him some more. Naruto's eyes were full of tears and his mouth muscles hurt from laughing so hard for so long.

"Ahahaha, stop it, Ahaha, please, Ahahah ..." – Naruto tried in vain to remove the four pairs of hands from his ticklish spots.

Sasuke smirked. – "Dobe ..."

Neiji flushed a little and snickered. Lee grinned at him . – "Getting jealous?" – Lee laughed when Neiji flushed even more.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" – Neiji said, trying hard to hide his growing embarrassment.

"All you have to do is ask, and TenTen will gladly tickle you too ..." – Lee laughed some more, before a fist came in his direction. He dodged it easily and stuck his tongue out at his teammate, then started running around.

"Come back here Lee!" – Neiji demanded, as he pursued after leaf's green beast.

"You'll have to catch me first!" – Lee yelled back.

"... p-please ... Ahahaha ..." – Naruto kept on begging, but the girls did not mind his pleas one bit.

Naruto's stomach was hurting and he knew he couldn't take it for much longer, so taking advantage of a distraction from the girls, he spun around and got up quickly, startling the girls who fell off on their butts. 

Even though no one was tickling him anymore, Naruto still laughed tiredly and the tears still lingered in his eyes.

"That was not fair!" – Ino yelled, getting up.

"What was that for?" – Naruto asked, still trying to catch his breath. – "Being tickled to death is not what I consider as vengeance ..." – he said slowly.

"Who wanted revenge?" – Ino said with a grin. 

Naruto's eyes widened. – "Aren't you ... angry with me?" – Ino and the other girls frowned and seemed to be deep in thought, while patting their feet on the floor.

"Mmmmhhhhh ..." – Sakura hummed while a finger found it's way to her chin.

"NO!" – they all yelled and jumped on top of him, hugging him tight.

A few growls were heard from the crowd. That included Shikamaru's, Hinata's, Neiji's, Chouji's and the biggest one from a certain Uchiha. (Yeah, you heard me. Hinata growled! ^-^)

"You ..." – Naruto's eyes turned into pools of water. – " You girls ..." – he put his head between his hands and cried a river of tears.

Temari patted his back gently. – "There, there ..."

Naruto hugged Sakura and cried on her shoulder. – "You're such a baby ..." – Sakura muttered, with a smile on her lips, while Inner Sakura was yelling something like «Don't you dare wrench my clothes with your tears and I-don't-want-to-know-what-else!»

"He's getting all the attentions!" – Kankuro growled.

"Doesn't he always?" – Gaara said with a smile, which earned him a couple of cold glares.

"Dobe!" – Naruto looked up from Sakura's shoulder, to met his other's teammate cold glare on him. – "Get your hands off of Sakura, now!" – the Uchiha boy demanded. A vein popping out from his head.

"You mean these hands?" – grinning, Naruto hugged Sakura closer. Said girl blushed furiously. Not so much because of the proximity with Naruto, but because of Sasuke's jealousy.

"You've signed your death sentence!" – said Uchiha charged at Naruto, who easily dodged his first kick, with a grin on his face.

"You missed!" – Naruto teased, earning yet another growl from Sasuke. 

Naruto ran around the other genins, avoiding Sasuke's kicks and punches, grinning all along.

"Stop moving around for a sec will 'ya? I wanna beat you real bad!" – Sasuke yelled, almost hitting Shikamaru's face in the process.

Naruto stuck his tongue out. – "Like I'd be stupid enough to do that!" – yet another punch avoided.

"They're so childish!" – Kankuro sighed heavily.

"I agree!" – Shikamaru said bored.

"No you don't!" – Ino said to her teammate, whacking him playfully across the head. – "Run Naruto-kun!" – she yelled, surprising most of them.

"Are YOU supporting NARUTO?" – Shikamaru almost yelled.

Ino giggled. – "Nope! It's just I love to see Sasuke-kun running around after him." – everyone fell back, anime style. Ino just giggled some more.

"This is so troublesome!" – Kankuro said annoyed.

"Hey! That's my line!" – Shikamaru said frustrated. Kankuro grinned widely.

"That's exactly my point!" – Kankuro laughed and Shikamaru sweatdropped.

"Have you been drinking?" – Shikamaru asked with a bored expression.

"Yes!" – everyone froze on their spots.

Ever so slowly, their heads turned to Kankuro.

"What, where and when?" – Gaara asked, as surprised as all the others.

"Sake, basement, and just about thirty minutes ago!" – Kankuro grinned pathetically once again.

The others soon joined.

"How much sake was there?" – Temari asked.

"Let me see ..." – Kankuro rubbed his chin, trying to remember. – "Lots and lots of it!" – he said, opening his arms up in the air.

"Let's go!" – Temari yelled and ran back home, being followed by everyone else.

------------5 seconds later----------

They were inside Gaara's house, panting hard and looking up at the door that stood closed before their eyes.

"Sake!" – Temari's eyes turned into stars. – "I never had the opportunity to taste it!" – the others nodded.

"You shouldn't drink it, 'ya know!" – Kankuro said bored.

"You're just saying that because you want it all for yourself!" – Temari glared at him.

"How come we never saw it before?" – Gaara asked, as his sister prepared to open the door to the basement.

"It was hidden behind the sacks of rice!" – Kankuro pointed.

"And very well hidden, because I had searched before and never found anything!" – Temari added dramatically. – "Oh Sake! The liquor I need to lighten up my days." – everyone sweatdropped.

Temari threw the door back and they all gasped. - "OH MY GOD!" – Ino yelled.

Before their eyes was the biggest amount of Sake bottles they had ever seen in their lives.

"There's no way THAT could be behind the rice sacks!" – Gaara told his brother.

"Did I say behind? I meant bellow!" – Kankuro said, already opening a Sake bottle and drinking from it.

"You mean on the ground?" – Kiba asked surprised. Kankuro nodded while still drinking.

They all stared for a while. Silence filled the room, except for Kankuro's drinking sounds (which by the way were extremely loud).

"The chunnin exam is only the day after tomorrow ..." – Kiba said, while gulping hard.

"We're gonna have a major hangover ..." – Lee said, licking his dry lips.

"We're not twenty yet ... (In Japan you need to be twenty years old to drink, legally)" – Neiji reasoned, but already drooling.

"Who the hell cares?" – Temari yelled before jumping forward and grabbing some bottles. Immediately being followed by the other genins.

"Let's go upstairs and celebrate!" – Temari yelled, taking a hand full of sake bottles up the stairs, followed closely by the others who took and equal amount of alcoholic drinks along. (No I do not support this kind of behavior. But everyone does it anyway. So ... to hell with it!) Kankuro soon followed behind.

-------Thirty minutes-------

"I'm so sowy(he means sorry)!" – Naruto almost yelled to Sasuke's ear. Said boy nodded absently and drank some more sake. – "I never meant to hide it from you. Can you forgive me? CAN YOU?" – he yelled, while falling backwards and hitting with his head hard on the floor.

"Dobe!" – Sasuke yelled, covering his already badly-hurt ear. – "You don't need to YELL!" – Sasuke hiccuped the last word.

Naruto rubbed his head. – "You forgive me then?" – Naruto made puppy-dog eyes to his teammate.

"Of course I do!" – Sasuke answered calmly, earning a very tight hug from the kitsune-boy.

"I luv you Sasuke-kuun!" – Naruto tried kissing Sasuke's cheek. The boy tried to get away and started yelling his head off. Saying something about stupid Naruto and never drinking Sake again.

"They're so kawaii (means cute)!!" – Sakura and Ino squeaked when they saw Naruto and Sasuke hugging and almost kissing.

"NO!" – Hinata yelled, very flushed (as usual ^-^) – "Don't kiss my Naruto-kun!" – Hinata tried running there, but on the way tripped over Shino's foot and ended up falling on top of both boys. They ended up kissing both her cheeks. (Naruto*Hinata*Sasuke, One on each side ^-^)

"KAWAII!!!!" – TenTen joined the squeaking Ino and Sakura.

Hinata, blushing madly, put her hands over her cheeks and battled her eyelashes seductively at Naruto. – "If you wanted to kiss me, you only needed to ask Naruto-kun!" – Naruto blushed and started leaning forward. Their lips were almost touching, before a very drunk Shikamaru fell back and landed on Naruto.

"ITTAI!!!" – Naruto yelled, holding his broken nose to his face.

"Gomen!" – lazy Shikamaru got up slowly and walked (or stumbled) across the room, so he could get to the bathroom.

"We're 'ya going Shika?" – Ino appeared in front of him with a smile.

"To the bathroom! I wanna pee!" – Shikamaru said lazily.

"No you're not! I wanna go to the bath-bathroom first!" – Ino stammered out, hiccuping.

"If I don't go in now, I'll just die!" – Shikamaru said, already with his hand on the knob.

"NO!" – Ino's hand was over his in an instant. – "I'm going on first!"

"No! I am!" – Shikamaru yelled, very close to her face.

"ME!" – Ino yelled. 

Shikamaru pushed her aside, making her fall back on her butt and entered the bathroom quickly.

Everyone stared, expecting Ino to get up and kick the living hell out of Shikamaru. To their surprise, Ino lowered her head and started ... crying.

"BUAH! You're a meanie Shika-kun!" – and she cried some more.

Most of the present genins, decided that they liked the crazy Ino more than the crying one.

Soon, Shikamaru's head came popping out of the room. A grin appeared in his face when he saw Ino, still sitting on the floor and crying her heart off. – "Ne, Ino-chan!" – Ino looked up. – "Bathroom is free now!" – Ino's face light up and she got up quickly, singing her way to the bathroom. Shikamaru let her in, the grin still in his face.

"UWAAAAAHHHHHHH!!" – was soon heard all over the house. Ino's voice rang in their ears for what seemed an eternity. – "SHIKA!!!" – Ino's head came popping out of the bathroom. She was very flushed. – "You men are PIGS! You hear me? PIGS, I tell 'ya!" – and with that she entered the bathroom again, not without a few curses on the way.

Shikamaru was laughing his head off. While the others just stared. A drunken Shikamaru was definitely a bad thing.

--------A few minutes later----------

Gaara was currently laughing his head off because Kankuro was using one of Temari's dresses and flirting with Shino and Kiba.

Hinata had her arms around Naruto's neck, and was trying desperately to get him to kiss her, without being to obvious about how eager she was for it.

Sakura and Sasuke were dancing an imaginary romantic song. And Ino was giving Shikamaru a lesson on what to do when you go to the bathroom to pee.

Temari was feeding Chouji with some strawberries and eventually sake. Neiji had said for him not to eat, but he never mentioned anything about another person feeding him, right?

TenTen was desperately trying to get Neiji to dance with her, just like Sasuke and Sakura, but the Hyuga boy didn't want to because he was enjoying the way TenTen was combing his hair.

Lee was chatting happily with Gaara, also laughing along when Kankuro tried to kiss either Kiba or Shino.

All in all, that was not a normal night. And after a couple of hours and many sakes, most of them had fallen asleep. Chattered around the floor and in all kinds of awkward positions.

"Uwah!" – Naruto yawned loudly. Hinata was currently asleep, with her head resting on his shoulder and her arms around his waist.

"Have some sleep." – Gaara said calmly.

"What about you?" – Naruto asked, yawning again.

"I can't sleep stupid!" – Gaara snickered.

"Don't call me that ..." – Naruto's eyes closed and soon the only sound Gaara could hear were the others snoring and breath. He smiled despite himself and laid down on the couch. He might not be able to sleep, but he could at least rest his body, and for the first time in ages, his mind too could rest.

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How bad was it? I kind of liked it, but I never know how others will react. Well, I surely hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review. And again, I apologize for any mistake that this might have. Thank you all for your support!

***

{NightAngel}


	16. Troubles to the highest rank

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Sorry, sorry! I'm sooooo sorry! There is no available excuse for this delay. Gomen! Forgive me please.

Before anything else, I'd like to thank you all for your wonderful and supporting reviews. You are all amazing.

And the Brazilian boy (sorry, forgot your name) that writes to me ... thank you for remembering me about the senseis.

All of you, enjoy this new chapter.

Sorry for the OOCness of Ino in this chapter. But she is drunk peeps, so it's excusable. -_-

People. Visit my Deviantart account, and you'll be able to see a drawing of Liya (the girl they found at the restaurant). Look for it and please leave a comment if you like it. The site is www.dreamgazer-nightange.deviantart.com

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the original Manga or Anime.

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Bllodthirtsy – Friendship

*By: NightAngel*

Chapter 15: "Troubles to the highest rank"

-------------------------------The next morning-----------------------------

Kurenai patted her feet impatiently on the ground. – "Where the hell are they?" – she fumed.

"Kurenai-chan is cursing! This is bad!" – Asuma said. A smile playing in his lips when a vein popped in Kurenai's head.

"Am I the only one worrying here?" – she asked furious, passing around in circles.

"They can take care of themselves ..." – Kakashi said with a grin, reading his 'Icha Icha Paradise'.

"Perv ..." – Kurenai muttered under her breath, lifting an eyebrow when Kakashi blushed behind his mask.

"They're in the epitome of youth. Worry not, for I'm sure they are safe and sound." – Gai made one of his famous poses for Kurenai, who sweatdropped.

"I'm just surprised that Shikamaru didn't come on his own. Normally he gets bored real quick. But then again ... if he tried Ino would kick his ass painfully!" – Asuma light up another cigarette.

"THAT'S IT!" – Kurenai yelled, startling the remaining jounins. – "I'm going to look for them." – and she walked outside the room, into the hall of the hotel.

"Kurenai-san wait! I'll help you find the little teens." – Gaia yelled, following the enraged jounin female. Asuma sighed and followed behind. Kakashi just walked on, not bothering to do it quickly as the others.

When they reached the lobby, Kurenai fumed more and hit her hands strongly on the counter, startling the old man there.

"Y-Yes? May I help you?" – the same man asked carefully.

"Do you know where those little punks went yesterday?" – Kurenai asked threateningly.

The others jounins sweatdropped.

"Excuse me?" – the old man quivered when Kurenai glared at him.

"She wants to know if you, by any means, could possibly know where our students went yesterday." – Kakashi asked calmly, not taking his eyes from his book.

"They didn't come back until now and we're starting to worry." – Asuma added.

"You mean those twelve teens that came with you?" – the senseis nodded. – "Well, usually we do not ask where our guest go ..." – the senseis sighed in defeat. – "... but ..." – that caught their attention. – " ... we happened to hear little pieces of their conversation during breakfast yesterday." – Kurenai nodded eagerly. – "It seams they were going to find another team of genins. One from the sand!" – the old man concluded.

"A sand team?" – all four jounins asked surprised. The old man nodded.

"Well that's weird!" – Kurenai said, while rubbing her chin, thinking hard.

"They don't know anyone from the sand." – Gai pointed out.

"Yes they do!" – Kakashi affirmed, looking up from his book. The other jounins gasped.

-----------------A few minutes later, at Gaara's place--------------

Gaara opened his eyes when the first rays of sunshine hit his face in the morning, or at least he tried to. – "Oh crap!" – he had not fallen asleep, but he remained with his eyes closed all night, and now, the sunlight was hurting him a lot. Besides his head was bumping and he had the impression a war tank had just stepped on it. – "Ughhh!" – he got up in a flash, quickly regretting it as the headache only seemed to increase. – "Note to myself: Never drink sake again." – he got up slowly, stumbling his way to the bathroom. – "Gross!" – he almost yelled, when entering his bathroom, he found it completely turned upside down. Seemed like a war had taken place in there, but at least, no one had puked on the floor, or anywhere by the matter.

Opening the tub, he splashed cold water in his face and looked over at his reflection in the mirror. He snickered to himself. – «You look like shit!» - he was about to say.

"You look like shit!"

Gaara looked over to the door and saw a very bored and tired Shikamaru standing there. - "I was thinking the exact same thing!" – Gaara admitted. Then he eyed Shikamaru up and down. – "But might I say, you don't look any better."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and stumbled his way across the bathroom. Soon his hand came flying to his mouth, and he almost fell on top of Gaara.

"Don't puke on me!" – Gaara yelled, while jumping to the side. He watched as the lazy chunnin sank his head on the toilet and let it all out.

"Eeeeeeeeeewwwwwww!" – Gaara covered his own mouth, suppressing his will to puke right there and then.

Soon after, Shikamaru was finally done. Said chunnin sat down on the floor and laid his back on the cold wall, looking even worse then before.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you." – Gaara said, while flushing the toilet, which Shikamaru thanked. – "Since you're a chuunin already, you shouldn't be allowed here right?" – Shimaru looked up at him and extended his hand in the air. Gaara took it and helped Shikamaru up.

"Yes!" – Shikamaru stumbled across the room again and sank his head on the cold water that was running. – "But seeing as the previous exam was cut short and my team members had no one else to put on their team, the Hokage and the council decided to let me participate, only on the first two test where my team needs to have three members. From then on, they're on their own." – Shikamaru finished, turning the water off and drying his hair with a towel.

"I see ..." – Gaara sighed. – "We should wake the others up." – Shikamaru nodded.

"One by one. Because if they all decide to come to the bathroom at once ... " – Shikamaru and Gaara shrugged. – "I don't really wanna think about it!" – Shikamaru finished.

"Agreed!" – Gaara said, gulping hard.

They walked to the living room, hearing the loud snoring of most the genin boys. Gaara snickered and walked up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" – Shikamaru yelled, regretting it immediately as his head started hurting even more.

"To my room, to take a shower and dress something that doesn't smell like sake and other things I do not wish to recall." – Gaara said while disappearing from the other shinobi's view.

"Running off ... leaving me with all these troubled things to do ..." – he looked around himself. A hand grabbing his pained head. – "Leaving me to deal with them ..." – he sighed. – "How troublesome!" – he reluctantly forced his feet to move, walking to one of his sleeping teammates.

"Yo! Ino-chan wake up!" – he tried calling, but to no avail. He kneeled down and shacked the blonde girl a little. – "Oi! Get up!" – the girl mumbled something under her breath and turned her back on him. – "Damn Ino ..." – he muttered, bored ... 

Shikamaru sighed hard and tried again – "Come on Ino! I don't have all day."

A smile found its way across Ino's face, a very wicked smile. Shikamaru lifted an eyebrow.

"Sasuke-kun!" – Ino yelled, as she jumped forward into Shikamaru's arms.

Shikamaru fell back on the floor, with a still half asleep Ino on top.

"Sasuke ... Sasuke ... Sasuke-kun!" – she singed, trying to plant kisses on the boys face.

"Ino ... s-stop it. It's me!" – Shikamaru tried in vain to get away from Ino's grip, but to no avail. – "Ugh. Dammit!" – Shikamaru almost yelled in frustration.

"Sasu ..." – Ino's eyes flew open with Shikamaru's small yell. – "... ke-kun?" – Ino blinked her eyes, noticing the position they were in.

"Ugh ..." – Shikamaru wanted to make up an excuse, although Ino was the guilty one. He knew her very well, and she was surely going to beat him into a bloody pulp anytime now. – "I have and explanation for this ..." 

"You're not sasuke-kun?" – Ino said cutely, making Shikamaru sweatdrop.

"N-no!" – he whined.

Ino's eyes turned into stars, as her 'arms' closed around his neck. – "Shika-kun!" – she squealed, trying to place butterfly kisses in his face.

"WTF?" – he again fell on his back, fighting hard against Ino's tries to kiss him senseless. – "Stop it already Ino!"

Ino stopped suddenly and her eyes were watery. – "Why?" – she asked with puppy-eyes

Shikamaru sweatdropped once again. 

«She is still under the effect of the sake.»

"Because you're drunk." – Shikamaru said plainly.

"Am not!" – Ino yelled at him.

"Ssshhh!" – Shikamaru placed a hand over her lips, warning her not to speak loud. – "We don't want to wake the others up." – he looked around, making sure no one else was awake. – "Not for now at least." - He finally took his hand from her, still looking over his shoulder, searching for any movements.

"Eeek!" – he squealed when he turned over and saw Ino's face.

She was blushing madly and playing around with her fingers and hair. He suddenly had the urge to run away.

"Ne Shika-kun you think they would disturb us while we were at it. That's why you don't want to wake them up."

Shikamaru's jaw dropped and he blushed madly. «What the hell is she talking about.» - "What do you mean? I just don't think they ..." – Shikamaru was cut short when Ino's hands went to her face and her eyelids started battling rapidly and seductively.

"I'm too shy Shika-kun. I have no experience whatsoever. But if it's you then it's ok." – Shikamaru's jaw dropped even more. – "Just please be gentle!" – Ino added cutely.

Shikamaru turned into a ghost.

"Ahahaha!" – Shikamaru's train of thoughts was interrupted when Gaara came downstairs, smiling widely and barely containing a smirk. – "How cute! But please use one of the rooms upstairs. You wouldn't like to wake them up with your ... love sounds now would you?" – Gaara added playfully.

"Shut up!" – Shikamaru yelled, forgetting that he might've just woken up the rest of the crew.

"Kyaa! I'm so embarrassed!" – Ino squeaked, cheeks burning red.

"See? You're just adding wood to the fire! You should be on my side!" – Shikamaru yelled frustrated.

"And why's that?" – Gaara played with the shadow boy, who was starting to steam.

"Weren't you supposed to be upstairs, doing nothing at all, while I had the troublesome task of waking up these troublesome persons?" – Shikamaru tried to change the subject, looking away, blushing a deep red.

"The bell rang!" – Shikamaru looked up at the sand nin, puzzled. – "But I guess you were too stuck up in your love life to notice." – Shikamaru steamed some more and Gaara smirked.

The bell rang once again and Gaara sighed in frustration. – "I'm coming, I'm coming!" 

When Gaara opened the door, he had to block his eyes from the strong sun shining outside. At first he did not manage to see who was outside. But after a few seconds his eyes widened.

He turned his head, to look over his shoulder at Shikamaru who was in the middle of the living room. – "We've got trouble!"

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Yes I apologize! Short chapter I know. But I'll try to write the next one soon. (Haven't I said that on last chapter?).

And I know I promised this was going to be the last chapter, but I'm thinking seriously about continuing this after all. We'll see ...

I hope I haven't lost many of my readers, cause that would be just too bad. Please leave a comment and kill me all the many times you wish. I deserve it. :p


	17. Troblesome

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So, and since I didn't yet finish this chapter, I'm going to let you have a look at what's going. Please check back soon, for the rest of the chapter.

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Once again I apologise for the delay of this chapter. My bad!

And thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, all very much for the reviews.

I'm so happy to know that most o you didn't give up on me. Arigatou!

People. Visit my Deviantart account, and you'll be able to see a drawing of Liya (the girl they found at the restaurant). Look for it and please leave a comment if you like it. The site is www.dreamgazer-nightange.deviantart.com

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the original Manga or Anime.

****

Bllodthirtsy – Friendship

By: NightAngel

Chapter 16: "Troublesome"

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[Previous chapter]

The bell rang once again and Gaara sighed in frustration. – "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

When Gaara opened the door, he had to block his eyes from the strong sun shining outside. At first he did not manage to see who was outside. But after a few seconds his eyes widened.

He turned his head, to look over his shoulder at Shikamaru who was in the middle of the living room. – "We've got trouble!"

[Previous chapter]

Shikamaru looked up when he heard he heard Gaara's voice. – "What do you mean by trouble? Can this get more troublesome than it already is?" – he only had the time to see Gaara nod, before someone pushed the sand-nin aside and flew inside the house.

A blur of white black and red flew right to him and Ino.

"SHIKAMARU!"

He blinked a few times, before the situation dawn him. He sweatdropped. – "Kurenai-sensei. How nice to see you!" – he tried to play nice since he saw the veins that were popping out of Kurenai's head.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" – Kurenai yelled, and Shikamaru had to block his ears.

Kurenai looked around the room, and although Shikamaru couldn't see her face, he could perfectly well feel the rage burning up inside. And when she turned her face to him, he wished a hole would swallow him. – "ANSWER ME!" – Shimaru gulped.

"You see ..."

It was then that Ino decided to get in between. But God! Did Shikamaru hope she would've stayed quiet.

"Kurenai-sensei!" – that caught Kurenai's attention. – "Did you come to join the party?" – Ino asked innocently.

"PARTY?" – Kurenai's voice was dripping poison.

"Yup! Me and Shikamaru were about to get down to it." – Ino said calmly.

Shikamaru turned completly white, before he burst in flames (mainly concentrated on his cheeks).

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT INO? STOP SAYING NOSENSES." – Shikamaru grabbed Ino's neck and almost strangled her.

"_SHIKAMARU!_"

Shikamaru turned his head back to Kurenai, who was now completely burning. – "Ah! I remember now. I need to go to the ..... to the market. Yes, that's where I need to go." – Shikamaru tried to get out of the room, but was grabbed by Kurenai.

"WHAT WERE YOU TWO DOING?" – Kurenai almost blew Shikamaru off. And it took him a while to open his mouth.

"Nothing!" – Kurenai glared at him. – "I swear. Ino's just drunk. I swear that's it." – Shikamaru fell down on his butt, when Kurenai released him, and Ino went straight to him, hugging him close.

"Drunk?" – Another voice asked, and both Ino and Shikamaru looked up at the entrance, where Kakashi, Asuma and Gai were standing, while Gaara closed the door.

"We found some sake last night." – Gaara said calmly, while walking into the room.

«Don't say it so naturally!» - Shikamaru begged on his mind.

"You ..." – Kurenai started. – "... INCOMPETENT FOOLS!" – Kurenai yelled from the top of her lungs.

That yell, woke up quite a few sleepy heads on the room.

"What is wrong with you people. Can't a person get some sleep every once in a while?" – Kankuro grunted, placing his hands on his head. – "Ugh! My head!"

"What happened?" – was the first thing that Sakura asked when she woke up. – "Ack! Shit my head!"

"Ugh!" – was the only thing audible that you heard from Sasuke, although one could tell he was muttering some curses under his breath, while he supported his aching head.

"Kya!" – everyone looked over at Hinata, who was blushing madly, when she realised who she was hugging in her sleep.

Gaara looked around concerned. – "One at a time to the bathroom please. Or else you'll be the ones cleaning the mess." – as soon as he said that, Kankuro got up and ran upstairs to the bathroom, while Sakura, Sasuke and Hinata all ran to the one downstairs. The three were trying to get in at once.

The senseis just stood there, looking at their ridiculous students, doing ridiculous stuff. Or at least, that's what Asuma and Kurenai where thinking. Because Kakashi was still reading his book. While Gaara blushed, and the reminder of last night's Neji reading the "Icha Icha Paradise".

Gai, on the other hand, was already by Lee's side, trying to wake him up. But to no avail. Lee was sound asleep.

"Wake up!" – Gai slapped lee's face a couple of times, before he finally started to open his eyes.

"Gai-shenshei?" – Lee said, with his face swallow from the slaps.

"Lee ..." – for a moment they stared at one another, and then the sunset appeared behind them and they hugged, crying like babies.

"Ugh!" – Gaara sweatdropped. – "I am not seeing this." – he assured himself.

"I'm so proud of you!" – Gai said happily. While the senseis gasped. – "You drank sake without using drunken fist and destroying the entire place." – Student and teacher hugged once again. While the remaining sweatdropped.

While Shikamaru and the others where distracted by Gai and Lee, the shadow boy failed to notice Ino who was currently hugging him very tight. Only when said girl planted a kiss on his neck did he feel something was wrong.

"Eeek!" – Shikamaru jumped 2 feet from the ground, blushing madly. – "What is wrong with you Ino?" – he yelled, while checking if she had left a mark on his neck.

Ino giggled and hugged him once again, much to his annoyance.

"Remind me never to let you get drunk again please." – Shikamaru sighed.


	18. Apologies

Hello everyone!  
I'm here to thank you all for your amazing reviews and support. And also to apologise immensily for not updateing for over a year. I'm really touched that so many people still wait for me to update.  
Truth is I haven't updated because:  
1) I had an author's block for any of my fanfictions 2) I was too ocupied with my onbline comics 3) I had not many time to spare.

But I have seemingly good news.  
At this moment I can say that I have more time on my hands, and thus I'll do my best to post th rest of the story. I'll try to put a chapter on by the end of this week, and hopefully the other chpaters will afllow suit.  
I hope this time I'll finish this.

Thank you all for the immense support. I love you!  
NightAngel

Crossposted for "Bloodthirsty friendship" and "Stay with me" 


	19. Final Goodbye

No words will be enough to apologise to all of you who have been waiting for more than two years for the rest of this story. I cannot show how sorry I am.

How happy you made me feel each time one of you reviewed this fanfic and how angry I felt at my self for not getting to write the reamining of it. I feel like the worst person in the world and I deserved each bad-mouth you had coming my way. This time around I can't complian for anyone's almost flamer review since it's all more than worth for me.

I could give you hundreds of reasons to why I never got around to write more chapters but I'll keep it simple enough:

1) My life went through a few rush sets, making me loose the will to do anything (my online comics included).

2) After recovering I got into school again and lost almost any free time I had.

3) I'm publishing a comic which takes the few free moments away. I barely have time for myself.

4) Naruto's story (the manga) thus far has led so astray from my fanfic that I feel this is useless. What happened to Sasuke and all the rest made me feel this fanfic had no meaning.

5) I feel the fanfic itself was a litle bit childish and the grammar was not all that good, although not as bad as the previous ones.

I'm sorry everyone, and I know I should've done this a long time ago. I have no forgiveness.

I'm not gonna be able to continue this and I won't ask you to understand. I just hope you don't hate me for it.

I'll probably never writte a fanfic again, but maybe ... who knows ... a few one-shots or something.

I'm really, really terribly sorry for making you all wait for nothing.

I wish you all a great 2007!!!

And once more, THANK YOU ALL for the amazing support and patience you demonstrated.

Ana Nunes

2007/01/07


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